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Jeremiah 29:13 – And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (NKJV)
When I was a child, one of my favourite games was hide and seek. My cousins, my sister, and I would play it at our house, or at my grandma's house when we were all visiting there together. Friends and I would play it on the playground at school. Where I grew up in middle Georgia, USA, there are lots of trees to hide behind in our playgrounds.
The game is simple. First, the players agree on the boundaries of where they can hide. Secondly, a seeker is chosen to be "It". The seeker then closes his or her eyes and counts to 50 or 100 while the other players hide. Once the final number is reached, the seeker announces, "Ready or not, I'm coming!" and begins to look for the other players. The first one found is the next seeker. If the seeker can't find everyone, the shout is heard, "Come out! Come out, wherever you are!"
Players have a chance to get safe by running to a "home base". When they are home, the person who is "It" can't tag them. The last one to reach base safely is the winner of the round.
In my life, my dad was my safe "home base". Sadly, my dad passed away recently. Though he was nearly 90 and he had led a good Christian life, his death still has made a major impact on our lives, especially mine. Dad was the core of our family. He was the one we all depended on to make things work, like our plumbing or electrical challenges that always seemed to pop up after hours. I felt lost — like a fish flopping out of water. Then, I turned to God's Word, and I realized that all along, God had intended for Himself to be my real home base. I was reminded of the promises of safety that He gives to all believers:
- Eternal life: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV)
- Assurance of our future: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV)
- God works for our good and His glory: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 NKJV)
- Deliverance from our fears: "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." (Psalm 34:4 NKJV)
God wants to be our home base. With Him, we are safe and saved. Trust Him to be your home base today!
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for keeping us safe always. Amen.
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Amen – God is our home base.
Thanks, Becky, for the comforting words.
Amen and amen! Thanks for sharing this encouraging devotional with us today. Blessings.
Good morning, Becky, great words of truth. So comforting to think of Him as our “Home Base!”
Dear Becky,
What a lovely devotion! I think we can all relate to that childhood fun and you have made a wonderful challenge from it. I hope that you will keep writing.
Thank you, Becky, for this good devotion of today.
I enjoyed it very much and it speaks to me.
Blessings,
(Québec)
Thank you for writing. I could always run for my safe base of Dad. I miss him daily. Your scripture references are excellent.
Sunny today. Great day for hide and seek!
(Manitoba)
Becky, I recall the hide and seek game too. Your reference to home base, and then to you father, and finally to our heavenly Father was a great way to explain our need for the safety and security only God can give. Thank you for causing me to meditate on that today.
Thank you, Becky, for your very mindful devotional today. Your words really took me back to my fun-filled childhood days of hide and seek and today your words were very good reminders that when we seek and follow Jesus, He is ever there to keep us safe and bundled in His loving care. Blessings for this special writing.
Hi Becky,
It was fun to thinking about playing hide and seek when I was younger. There were 6 of us children and lots of cousins so it was easy to get a game started. Your Bible passages on the safety that God provides us are very encouraging and that safety net is so important when we are struggling.
I am sorry for your loss of your dad and that sense of security that he provided. I know you believe he is in a better place, but that close contact with him is no longer there.
Thank you for sharing about “home base” and may you Trust in the Lord. Blessings.
Good morning.
I was able to reflect entirely on your story this morning. I just recently lost my mom, who was the foundation of my life, along with my two brothers. She also lived a wonderfully dedicated Christian life.
I was very, very close to my mom, and I preach often as pulpit supply in various churches in the community, and she always loved the fellowship we had with each congregation. I have just recently realized how much closer to God I feel, knowing she is with him.
I too, have also realized that it is God that is the base of my foundation, and strive now to serve him more than I have been.
Thank you for reminding me just how important God is to our lives. Take care and have a blessed day.
(Ontario, Canada)