Daily Devotional

“What is that noise?”  My daughter was driving when the noise became more clear. “Meow!” over and over again. She pulled her car over to investigate, popped the hood up, and peered inside. There was a tiny kitten in the wheel well. The beautiful little stowaway looked to be about six weeks old. It took a half hour to get her out to safety. That kitten, we named Dolly, is now a member of our household. We should have called her Chevy since that’s where we found her. Dolly thought she was safe from the big bad world in her hiding place—but in reality, it was a death trap.

This got me thinking. It’s not good enough to hide; you must choose the right hiding place. Where do people go to for their safety? What makes people feel protected from the big bad world? I’ve heard people say, “If only I had enough money I would not have these problems.” Some people feel safer in their homes with multiple locks on their doors or an alarm system. “Perhaps a big scary dog will protect me.”  

In the Loess Plateau of Northern China more than thirty million people live in caves where the thick walls insulate them from the elements and protect them from earthquakes. Have you heard of the movie, Swiss Family Robinson? The family built an elaborate tree house to escape wild animals.

Psalm 32:7–8 reminds me of the many times David ran to the mountains to save his life from King Saul. I have seen with my own eyes those rugged desert mountains in Israel. There are scores of caves and nooks to hide. Caves, tree houses, or mountains. Safety is a big deal!

I want to learn from my new kitten’s mistake and not hide in a death trap. I don’t want to trust in money, locks, security systems, or even a special location—like caves or mountains—to keep me safe. The Lord is the only One who has the power to preserve me from trouble. This psalm teaches me:

• God is my hiding place.
• God can preserve me from trouble.
• God is my deliverer.
• God will teach me where I should go.
• God will counsel me.
• God has His eye on me.

Thank You, Lord, for these timeless truths!

PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, TEACHERS:

1. Read Psalm 32:7-8 with your children.
   
   
2. Talk to your kids about how important it is to choose God as their safe place. Explain that God gives parents to protect their children.  Name other people and ways God protects them. Tell them about the kitten’s dangerous choice.
   
   
3. Play a game of hide and seek. Use this to teach lessons about how God always knows where we are and what we need.

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.