There is only One Hiding Place.

Today people try to hide from lifes storms in many and varied ways.
Some of the more obvious places include, drug and alcohol abuse, promiscuous sexual addictions, gaming, gambling and pornography lusts.
It is easy to understand why many folks turn to these powerful experiences, the short lived "high" of these various pursuits does give a temporary sense of relief from lifes problems and sufferings.
The big problem though is that when the "high' is over, there is the corresponding let down or crash. During this crash phase of any addictive cycle people can become suicidally depressed about their lives and their futures. On the other hand, during the mountaintop or "rush" phase of the experience, many people suffer from delusions of grandeur. They have the sense of being "bulletproof idols" and believe they can easily achieve the fulfillment of delusional dreams or goals that have been unrealistically set.
Of course this only causes the crash phase to be even worse and even more disillusioning the next time around. In the cold light of reality the dream evaporates and with it the euphoria of grandiose delusions.
There are many other so called "Hiding Places" besides the more decadent variety that we have just mentioned.
Today there is a proliferation of extreme risk taking athletes, who get the ultimate adrenaline rush from life threatening exploits, in fields of sport and outdoor activities.
One branch that comes to mind are the "Wingsuit Basejumpers" who outrageously risk life and limb and even live homeless vagabond lifestyles, eating junk and discarded food in order to have finances sufficient to mount expeditions to exotic clifftop locations where they don their wingsuits and parachutes. Then they jump into the unknown, missing rocky outcrops at speeds of up to 150MPH, by inches, in order to briefly explode with adrenaline for the buzz.
One group of these amazing people were interviewed by a TV crew, there were 5 of them. One man had a photo of the group from a few years earlier, in this shot their were 10 basejumpers. One of them explained that the other 5 had died in basejump crashes since the last photo.
One girl had survived hitting the ground at 100kmh and her body from the hips down was shattered to pieces. It took a lot of metal fixation work/physical therapy and 5 years before she could walk properly but she said it was all worth the thrill and would gladly do it all again for the experience.
On a more subtle level we all succumb to turning to experiences, sports, work or other exploits to distract us from the turmoil or weariness of our daily lives. Of course, there is nothing wrong with enjoying what life has to offer in a balanced and temperate way. In fact the Bible says that "God has given us all things to richly enjoy" (1 Tim 6:17)
One man said, "God likes us having money, things, and experiences as long as all these things dont have us" Think about that statement!
In the final analysis, the only true "Hiding Place" that really produces peace and rest in the long term is the "Secret Place of the Most High God".
Another term the Scripture uses is "Under the Shelter of His Wings". Also, "In the Shadow of the Almighty" One old Hymn says " Rock of Ages , Cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee"
These are all phrases to describe the place of unspeakable Peace, Love, Joy, Kindness, Light and Strength that is available to those who yield their lives to Jesus Christ. These develop a relationship with Him that allows them to cling to, cleave to and rely upon Him for their Spiritual sustenance and inspiration.
Jesus is the Bread of Life and Living Water, He feeds and and satisfies us us in the innermost recesses of our whole being. He will bring the Ultimate and Eternal Fulfillment thats makes an Eternal Hiding Place for us to dwell in, secure from all that is not Love.
As one songwriter in the 60s sang "Why dont you look into Jesus, He is the the answer"



Jesus Prays (In John 17)
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—
23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world