The Hiding Place - Martin Wiles

For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Psalm 32:7 NLT

One sheet and four kitchen chairs made a perfect hiding place.

Lovey was my maternal grandmother’s half-sister. My memories of her are fading, but I recall her playing with my cousin and me. One of our favorite activities was making a tent. We did this by taking a sheet and spreading it over four kitchen chairs. Seems like an easy enough exercise, but if the chairs weren’t positioned correctly, the entire thing would collapse. 

After we constructed our tent, my cousin and I went in and sat down. Being young boys, we probably giggled and talked. We were in our hiding place … safe from the world. Though anyone could have easily discovered us by looking beneath the cover, we didn’t see ourselves as exposed. 

God was the psalmist’s hiding place. Someone he could run to for protection when his enemies were fast upon his heels. Someone who comforted him when it appeared others had turned against him. 

I’ve experienced other-than-honorable conditions in which I tried to hide from God. Mainly when I intentionally sinned or engaged in other shameful behavior. Rather than confessing, I tried to hide as Adam and Eve did. Hiding didn’t work for them, and it didn’t for me either. God’s convicting Spirit worried me until I made things right with God. 

God would rather we hide in him for more honorable reasons. When life—or others—has frustrated, disappointed, betrayed, or angered us, we can hide in him for comfort. 

We can hide in God’s love. It’s unconditional. Nothing we do or say can make him love us more or less. He loves us consistently—though this doesn’t relieve us of the need to live according to his standards. 

We can hide in God’s power. Nothing life throws at us is more powerful than God. Lions, bears, and an angry king were not more powerful than the psalmist’s God, and life’s present enemies aren’t more powerful than God’s power to deliver us. 

We can also hide in God’s salvation—not from life’s trials and tribulations, but from sin’s power. Through the forgiveness offered by Christ, we can enjoy the assurance of God’s forgiveness and acceptance. No more do we dwell under condemnation. 

Let God teach you to hide in him—not from him or in anything else. 

Father, thank you for the comfort of hiding in you for salvation and from life’s trials. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Engraved by God - Martin Wiles

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:16 NIV

The pages revealed to whom it belonged and under what circumstances. 

Mom received a call from her niece. They had cleaned out my aunt’s house and discovered some things that might interest Mom. Although never a lover of old or sentimental things, Mom took them. 

The items included four funeral home books for deceased relatives, newspaper clippings, family pictures, and two Bibles—both of which had my aunt’s name handwritten inside, along with the names of those who gave them to her and when. One of the two had her name engraved on the outside.  

After checking the giver’s name, I wasn’t surprised by the engraving. When I was eight years old, Mom and Dad—and I—had given my aunt the Bible for her birthday. Dad followed this pattern of engraving a name on the outside of a Bible for his entire lifetime. Every Bible he ever owned—and that was a multitude—he had his name engraved on the outside. The inside page with the handwritten name might be lost, scratched out beyond recognition, or torn out, but the name on the outside would remain. The Bible belonged to him. 

The nation of Israel needed reassurance. They had a habit of disobeying God, and God had a habit of punishing them. But better days were in store because they had repented. They would once again return to their homeland. 

Life is tough and filled with bitter disappointments. To us—just as he said to Israel—God says, “I’m engraved on his hand.” No one can steal us from His grip or erase the fact that we belong to him. Unwise decisions and sinful actions will bring his discipline, but the engraving stands. Willful, occasional sin may slightly obscure our name, but we’re still God’s children, and confession will once again bring out the brilliance of the engraving. 

And when it appears God has forsaken us, God has his ways of showing us the engraving and reminding us that we still belong to him. Our name’s engraved on his hand.  

Don’t fear life or the things it brings. Your name is engraved on the Father’s hand. He is loving, kind, gentle, and more powerful than anything the world can throw your way. 

Father, show me the engraving often so I’ll never forget to whom I belong. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Frustration of the Unknown - Martin Wiles

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 NLT

After numerous doctor visits with no answers, my wife and I lapsed into the frustration of the unknown. 

The unknown began after a recent move. My wife lifted an item and felt a stabbing pain. Thinking she had pulled the mesh from a recent hernia surgery, we visited the general surgeon. After testing, he determined it was only scar tissue. 

Then, unexplained weight gain led to a trip to the emergency room and then to the cardiologist. Pills to reduce her fluid didn’t work. More tests followed. One revealed an enlarged spleen and liver. 

We re-visited the general surgeon who sent her to a kidney specialist. In the meantime, the cardiologist sent her to a gastroenterologist.

Weeks and months passed between the tests and doctor visits. Our frustration mounted as we waited for answers, trying not to imagine the worst. 

Paul could have also been frustrated by the unknown. Would he survive the persecutions or the trip to stand trial before the Roman emperor? Would his friends betray him? Instead, he did what he advised others to do.

Praying about the unknown is crucial. Every night, I prayed for my wife to have the strength to face whatever lay ahead and for God to give the doctors the wisdom to find the cause of her dilemma. 

Trusting is also important in times of the unknown. God promises never to let us down, regardless of life’s challenges. We can trust him to work things for our good—even things that appear bad. He has our best interests at heart. 

Additionally, believing God is sovereign helps control the anxiety and frustration level. If he isn’t, we have an even larger problem than the things causing our frustrations.

In my wife’s case, I believed God could guide the doctors to discover the reason for her health concerns and to give her the proper treatment. I also believed he could heal her without the doctor’s intervention, if he chose. 

Don’t let the frustration of the unknown lead you to doubt, anger, bitterness, or unbelief in a loving God. Instead, believe God loves you and has your situation under control. 

Father, we trust you to guide us safely into and through the unknowns of our lives. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Toys in the Tub - Martin Wiles

Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 2 Samuel 11:2 NLT

Baths may clean us up, but sometimes toys in the tub get us into trouble.

Resting outside the bathtub in our spare bathroom is a plastic container with numerous bath toys: a rubber duck, a sailing boat, several balls, a bar of Ivory soap, and cars. The normal toys kids play with when they bathe. 

And when they were young, all our grandboys loved to play with them when they bathed. They loved the bubbles MeMe put in the tub. They hid the toys under the bubbles, then held them in the air and watched as the water squirted out, hollering and laughing. Occasionally, they splashed water on the floor, which drew a sharp rebuke from MeMe. 

King David also knew a little about bathing and getting into trouble. He wasn’t the one bathing. Bathsheba was, but he was the one who looked when he shouldn’t have. The play on words is interesting: Bathsheba bathing. Some suggest she bathed here on purpose because she knew the king’s practice of walking on his roof. Whether or not she intentionally provided the temptation, David fell into the traps of lust, adultery, lying, and murder. One year—and several consequences—passed before he finally confessed.

Our world is filled with play toys—not that we bathe with but that we encounter daily. Technological gadgets, possessions of all sorts, hobbies—and the things we need to enjoy them—sporting activities—and the money we can spend watching them—movies, video games. The list of play toys available to those who live in developed countries is endless. 

Some of the play toys are sinful—and others have the potential to be. Bathsheba’s bathing wasn’t a sin, but if she did it hoping the king would do what he did, then it became sinful. David’s accidental glance wasn’t a sin, but when he lusted and acted, it became one. Satan is a master at wrapping innocent things in sinful paper. 

Only God can give us the wisdom to play with the right toys and to keep them in the proper perspective. We can’t trust our own judgment. It’s skewed by our sinful nature and our propensity to gratify our selfish desires. 

God may not ask you to throw your toys away. He may simply want you to see them with different eyes or use them more productively. 

Father, guide me in using my toys so they won’t grab my attention away from you and more important things. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Club Benefits - Martin Wiles

Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 NLT

We had the clubhouse. All we needed were members. And after all, we had club benefits. 

My first cousin and his family lived next door to my maternal grandparents on a large farm. The closest neighbors were of another race, and, because of the prevailing culture at the time, neither he nor his siblings had much to do with them. He only played with other cousins, his siblings, or someone farther down the road with whom he went to church. Many of his games and ventures, he concocted himself. 

One of his ventures was building a clubhouse. He happened to be in the middle of his construction project when I made one of my periodic visits. Using scrap lumber from around the farm, we finished our small square dwelling and decided who would and would not be welcome. Somewhat of a mute decision since we were the only two around. Who could we exclude? And why would our membership rules matter if no one else wanted to join?

The early church began as somewhat of an exclusive club, too. When the Holy Spirit appeared on the Day of Pentecost, he indwelt only Jewish people. As non-Jews began believing and receiving the Spirit, some of the Jewish folks wondered whether they should let them into the club. An eventual decision by the church opened the doors to anyone, with a few conditions. 

God’s club is inclusive and exclusive. Everyone who wants to join is welcome, but there are conditions. God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but he also won’t allow just anyone in without an examination.

Confession of sin is one requirement. Christ assures us that if we confess him as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. Forgiveness hinges on confession and repentance and is our ticket into God’s clubhouse. 

Once in, we get to enjoy the benefits of belonging—forgiveness of our sins being one. God also offers an abundant life. The ability to live with peace and confidence regardless of what we face in life. We also have the assurance of God’s perpetual presence with us, guiding us in every life decision. When life is over, we transfer our membership from earth to heaven. A place where no hardship, pain, sorrow, sin, or death exists. 

No other club offers the benefits God’s does. Join today.

Father, thank you for offering club membership to anyone who asks. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Looking for Evidence - Martin Wiles

I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side. John 20:25 NLT

We were looking for evidence, and it was overwhelming. Yet, we followed something we feared.

Panthertown Valley is just outside Cashiers, North Carolina. But if someone is looking for a directional sign, they’ll be disappointed. But my brother and I had directions. Numerous trails run through more than 10,000 acres of protected land, and we planned to hike one of them.

As we made our way along the trail, we noticed scat. Since it was filled with berries, we knew which animal left it. Although we enjoyed the scenery, our eyes roamed our surroundings. Every noise made our hearts race and our eyes dance. When we reached the end of the trail, a tree with claw marks greeted us. A bear scratching post. We never saw Smokey, but the evidence convinced us he was near.

The evidence convinced us, but not Thomas. Jesus had been resurrected from the grave. Women saw him, as did some of the other disciples, but eyewitness reports weren’t enough for Thomas. He wanted to see the marks. So Jesus showed him. Then Thomas felt ashamed that he’d asked.

The evidence for God’s existence seems overwhelming to me—but not all agree. When I look at nature and how natural laws operate according to an unseen plan, I wonder how anyone could doubt, or even deny, the existence of a Higher Being. Theologians disagree over the methods God used to create. Did he initiate a Big Bang or perhaps use evolution as his process? Or was everything a fiat act of creation out of nothing?

Jesus showed Thomas the evidence he asked for and listened as Thomas shamefully confessed him as Lord and Savior. He should have believed without the evidence. God won’t appear to us and say, “Yes, I exist and created,” but he has given enough evidence to know he does and did.

The evidence at Panthertown Valley convinced my brother and me that a bear was in the area, whether or not we physically saw him with our eyes. The universe, along with a still small voice that speaks to my spirit, convinces me God exists, loves me, and wants to be included in my life. What I do with the evidence is up to me.

Evidence for God’s existence is overwhelming. Believe he exists and invite him into your life.

Father, I acknowledge you as the Creator and Governor of the universe and my life. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Peeled Like a Potato - Martin Wiles

When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. Hosea 1:2 NLT

I stood with a bag of potatoes beside me, a knife in my hand, and what appeared like eternity in front of me.

Corporal tunnel surgery had not slowed my wife down much—and I was glad since, at the time, she was our cook at church for Wednesday night meals. Although I was prepared to fix the meal under her supervision, I got off with a lighter duty.

“How good are you at peeling potatoes?” she asked.

“Okay, I suppose,” I answered and took the knife she handed me.

“Peel half of this bag.”

When I finished peeling, she said, “Now slice them and then dice them into small pieces so they’ll cook quickly.”

The dish was simple. She was merely browning the potatoes and adding a little butter and other seasoning. Yet almost an hour was spent getting ready to make the dish. Peeling and preparing a potato can be a lengthy process.

Hosea was peeled like a potato. God’s call to him involved marrying a prostitute—or a woman with promiscuous leanings--and having her bear him children through adulterous relationships. Seems like a strange plan, but his life episode would illustrate Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.

God’s plan often comes in layers like a sliced potato. He doesn’t show us the entire schema, just bits and pieces. Hosea’s wife didn’t stop with one promiscuous affair but continued until Hosea finally brought her home and confined her. My obedience to each stage of God’s unfolding plan demonstrates my determination to do what He wants me to do—even if I can’t see the end.

God’s plan can be painful, as it was for Hosea and for my back while I stood for an hour peeling. No spouse enjoys being the recipient of unfaithfulness. God often allowed his prophets to demonstrate their messages in graphic ways, and Hosea’s did, too. Hosea hurt. Through pain, we grow spiritually and are drawn closer to our Creator.  

And God’s plan will always entail change. Never can we stay where we are and go with God. The potato won’t become a hash brown casserole, French fries, or browned potatoes if it stays in its original state.

Regardless of the pain or the change required, determine to follow God’s plan for your life.

Father, give me the courage and faith I need to say “Yes” to your plan. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Purpose Driven - Martin Wiles

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13 NIV

“I’m in the middle of the road with a flat tire. Can you tell Dad to come and help me?”

My daughter was under the gun. She had given her landlord notice that she was moving out by the end of the month. Although she took a few days off from work, she hadn’t finished as much as she anticipated. On her last day off, as she rushed back and forth to the storage shed, a previously patched tire decided to leave her stranded in the middle of the highway—with three children in tow.

My wife and I hurried to her aid—not knowing whether we could help. We both suffer from back injuries, and changing a tire isn’t as easy as it once was—or even possible. I managed to loosen the lug nuts but couldn’t figure out how to remove the jack (what happened to the good old days when everything was simple).

Frustrated, my daughter called a cousin who is a mechanic. Without effort, he removed the jack and changed the tire. When I commented on how easy he made the job look, he said, “Everyone has a purpose.” His was to help people with mechanical issues in their vehicles.

Paul reminds us that God has a purpose for us and works to fulfill it.

Discovering God’s purpose is essential for living the abundant life Jesus promises. God’s ultimate purpose is for everyone to know his Son as their Savior. He works to fulfill that purpose by sending his Spirit to convict people of their sins. He calls some into full-time mission work to take his message of love to those who haven’t heard. He calls others into full-time work to equip believers to do the same in their everyday worlds.

God wants us to know and experience his love, draw closer to him, and then make his love known to the world. We were created to have a relationship with our Creator.

We don’t have to be a career preacher or missionary to share God’s plan with others. Living out God’s love in our actions, attitudes, and words accomplishes his purpose. My cousin can do it as a mechanic. So can the attendant at the office store, the teller at the bank, and the CEO of a major organization. And so can you—wherever God places you.

Don’t wander through life wondering what your purpose is. Live a purpose-driven life now.

Father, help me to live with purpose by making your love known through my daily experiences. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

One Big Reunion - Martin Wiles

And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world. 

~John 11:52 NLT

As we turned out of the parking lot, I knew it would be the last time.

Both of my paternal grandparents’ sides of the family had annual family reunions, but my family rarely attended. I barely knew many of those who did—people who were my cousins once removed. Dad was a preacher, and the reunions took place on Sunday. To top it off, they ate at noon, just as church was finishing up for us, making it impossible for us to attend unless Dad missed a Sunday, which he wasn’t about to do. At least, not for a family reunion.  

Only on rare occasions did we attend our family reunions. And because it was so long between times when we did, it was difficult to talk even to the people I knew. Reunions were awkward experiences. Then one year, they told us it would be the last reunion. I suppose as the older generation died out, the younger ones decided they didn’t care to continue the tradition.

Jesus had a habit of stirring up the religious leaders and was at it again. Caiaphas, the high priest, suggested that one man die for the nation. That would be better than allowing the Romans to destroy the entire Jewish nation. Little did he know that he prophesied God’s plan that one person would do just that: die to unite all people together into one big family.

The heavenly reunion that awaits all who trust Christ as their Savior is, in some ways, like a family reunion. I was sometimes surprised by who showed up at reunions. Some we wondered about. No one knew them. Had they just wandered in? Some we don’t think will make it to heaven just might. We don’t know their heart, and God can do amazing things in the twinkling of an eye.

Heaven’s reunion will be joyous—as earthly reunions are. It was always fun to see and talk to aunts, uncles, and cousins I hadn’t seen in a year … or usually longer. Heaven will contain no sorrow. People were invited to my family reunions, and God charges us with inviting others to the heavenly reunion. How else will they know where it is or how to get there?

And this big heavenly reunion will take place daily in a comforting atmosphere—not just annually, as most family reunions do. No sin, sinful practices, or sinful people are invited. Just the saints of God enjoying each other and serving God forever.

Make plans now to attend the greatest family reunion that’s ever taken place.

Father, thank you for the invitation to attend your family reunion. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Life’s Best Comforter - Martin Wiles

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT

My wife and I are now the matriarch and patriarch of our family.

My youngest brother and I discussed the concept not long ago. Although our mom is still living, her Alzheimer’s keeps her from managing her affairs, leaving me as her POA to take that responsibility. And meaning that her three boys are the patriarchs of their respective family branches.

I remember the sorrow I felt when my father died, but at least I had my mother left. When she’s gone, there will be no parents left. My wife’s parents are gone, as are her two older brothers. The day has approached when our children and grandchildren must look to us, as we did to our parents. How we’ll handle the last parent dying, I’m not sure.

According to Paul, God is life’s best comforter, and he needed comforting. Since trusting Christ as his Savior, he had faced turmoil and trials. They hounded him like dogs on a rabbit’s trail. Beatings, stonings, jail time. He faced them all. Yet he found comfort in knowing that God was in control and that he was doing God’s will.

God hasn’t changed roles. As he comforted Paul, he comforts us. And not only when we lose a loved one, but also as we face daily life’s challenges. Paying attention to how God comforts us helps us be better comforters.

God’s comfort never runs out, nor does he tire of giving it. Giving comfort to others can be taxing and drain our emotions. God can handle the task, for he is all-powerful. Nothing we face is too difficult for him to know how to comfort us.

Comforting others is often inconvenient. Jesus’ ministry was filled with interruptions from others. When we choose to comfort others, we, too, will have to deal with being inconvenienced. Death, accidents, and broken relationships never happen at a convenient time.

Comforting others takes time we could use for something else, perhaps something more enjoyable. True comfort is more than shooting someone a text or email. Or posting a prayer comment on their Facebook post. It involves hands-on activities when possible.

While comforting others is time-consuming, doing so brings us comfort. God designed us to be involved in others’ lives. Doing so fulfills part of his plan for our lives. We can only fully appreciate God’s comfort when we channel it to others.

Don’t soak up God’s comfort without squeezing out some for others.

Father, use me as an instrument of comfort to those who are hurting. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.