“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,  even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalms 139:7-10 NIV

When I was little, our neighbors got 2 new puppies. They had a chain-link fence with hedges and it was hard to see them even though I could hear the yips and barks. I tried to climb the fence and fell. My mom saw and told me not to try to climb the fence or I might get hurt. So I played in the yard with my dog, Buff.

But the puppies were still on my mind. And even though I knew it was wrong, I stood on a big, old metal can and hung my arms over the fence to see. I only got a quick look before the can slipped. I fell and hurt my under arm. My mom will be so mad! So I hid. I pressed my arm tight to my side and crawled into Buff’s doghouse (with Buff). I hid until my arm quit hurting so bad, so my mom wouldn’t know.

Our verses for today were written by King David. He is asking where he can go to “flee” from God, to hide from God’s presence. (Just like me hiding from my mom.) Sometimes we want to hide from God because of something we did that we know is wrong or something we didn’t do that we knew we should have.

But David tells us pretty clearly that God is everywhere we are. God is in the highest sky and the deepest places of the earth, He’s in the rising sun of dawn and the far side of the sea. God is where you are because He loves you. Whatever trouble you are in, God is there. Wherever you go, God is there. Even when you do something wrong, God is there waiting to love and forgive you.

Back to my story. My mom realized that night when I couldn’t get my shirt off that something was wrong. She gently pulled off the shirt and realized I actually needed stitches. I said, “I’m sorry, Mom, I shouldn’t have climbed the fence. Are you mad?” But she said, “No, I’m not mad. I just wish you had come to me as soon as it happened so I could have helped.”

And just like my mom, God wants us to come to Him when we are hurting or have messed up. So that God can care for us; love us, forgive us, give us strength and courage, guide us, but most of all, to hold us close to Him.

This week, bring your troubles and concerns to God. He already knows what they are because He is with you always. You can’t hide from God, so go to Him instead. Talk to your parents and ask them to share a time when they went to God even when they wanted to hide.

Blessings as you go to God with all your troubles!