I have been noticing something for a while now, and trying to understand the lesson waiting for me in it. I think I have discovered what one of those lessons might be.
For several years now, we have been putting seed out in winter, and a bird bath out in summer to provide for the birds in our yard. At this point, there must be thirty birds or more living in the bushes. They are concealed in the forsythia bushes that line the side of the yard. The sound of them all chirping in the morning is great to wake up to. It is delightful to see them all come out when we spread the seed on the ground on the winter mornings, or to see them drinking and splashing in the water of the birdbath on hot summer days. Even the beautiful, but timid, woodpeckers come out from their hiding places in the trees of the yard in order to eat the suet feeding block placed there for them. It is charming to see the fledglings of a new generation learning to fly in our back yard.
This year, however, I have noticed something happening that is not so charming. A hawk, seeing the birds come out from hiding in the bushes to eat the seed on the ground, has taken up residence in the area. I have seen it land on one of the birds, and carry it off. Cats come into the yard when they become aware of bird activity. The other day, for the first time, I was shocked to see a rodent appear to eat the seed, the provision meant for the birds.
The provision, the seed, brings the birds out from covering, and also, draws predators and undesirables. Oh no, this will not do.
I began to see a connection to spiritual things. The provision of God, in the way that we wish to see it in our lives, will likewise draw predators and vermin. There are some in the kingdom of God whom God desires to keep hidden for His own timing or purpose. He does not want them out in the open to be destroyed before He reveals them in the manner and timing that He knows is best. There is a direct connection between the provision of God, and the eyes of a spiritual destroyer seeking to devour. The devourer follows the provision.
Sometimes we chafe against God's plan to conceal or hide us for a time, because we don't like to be hidden, but God's enemies are looking for these hidden ones:
"For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered (hidden) ones." Ps. 83:2-3
Even enemies that would never have worked together, work and consult together to find the hidden people of God (v. 5-8).
In the times of trouble, when there is an increase in wickedness and evil, God will hide His people:
"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me." Ps. 27:5-6
One of my favorites is:
"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge (shelter from rain, storm, danger, flee for protection) and my fortress; my God in Him will I trust." Ps. 91:1-2
The LORD does not just hide us from spiritual devourers, but from the human kind as well:
"You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion (sukka- booth, tent, thicket, den, shut in, blocked off, screened, shut off, cover) from the strife of tongues." Ps. 31:20
We can see how it is possible for us to chafe in the hidden place of God. How pleasant can it be to be hidden in a thicket, or a den? to be shut off, or shut in, blocked off? We don't like it. Obscurity may not be what we desire, but it has its uses. Even Jesus retired to the wilderness from those who plotted to kill Him, until it was time for Him to go to Jerusalem (Jn. 11:53-54).
It is wisdom,not cowardice, to remain hidden from the enemy:
"A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished."
Prov. 27:12
For a time, the great warrior, David, and his men had to hide in dangerous enemy territory, and in the cave Adullam ("Justice of the people, Justice of Jehovah") from Saul's pursuit (1 Sam. 21-23). Under the murderous reign of Jezebel, the prophets of God had to be hidden from her in caves, with only bread and water to eat and drink (1 Ki. 18:4). They were so well hidden by Obadiah ("servant, worshipper of Jehovah"), that the greatest prophet in the land, Elijah, thought that he was the only one left (1 Ki. 19:14). Sometimes, while in hiding, we feel that we are the only one left, but not so. Elijah himself, was hidden in the wilderness by Cherith ("cut off, cut down"), and provided for by angels (1 Ki. 19:5) and ravens (1 Ki. 17:2-7). It was while in hiding in a cave in the mountain of God, Horeb ("dried up, desolate, laid waste"), that Elijah discovered the power of the "still, small voice" of God (1 Ki. 19:12). Eventually, God pushed Elijah out of the cave, and back onto the scene.
We understand the difficulty of being hidden for a time. Warriors itch for the battle, and prophets long to prophesy. It is made more difficult, if it seems that God's provision is not of the nature that we would normally expect. In fact, it is easy to believe during this hidden time that God's provision has dried up, or has been diverted. However, if we remember the example of the birds, overt provision can lead to being uncovered from the protection provided by a hiding place. So what to do?
In the case of the birds, we changed the nature of the provision from the spreading of seed on the open ground, to putting the seed on a raised wooden platform with a covering. It is positioned near the birds' protected place in the bushes. We didn't want our provision for them to be the type that brings them out into the open, and puts them in increased danger. We didn't want the provision for the birds to be accessible instead to vermin, allowing those things to thrive and multiply.
The same is true of God's provision, I think. The nature of it, by necessity, must change when we are in that place and time of hiding. The prophet Isaiah reveals something interesting regarding a special provision:
"I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I the LORD, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel." Isa. 45:3
There are treasures and riches hidden by God in these secret places. They may be of a different nature than we would like, or are used to receiving, but they are treasures that we would never find out in the open. They are appointed for the secret places.
Jesus, in Revelation, talks about giving us the hidden manna to eat:
"...To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna to eat..." Rev. 2:17
It is not like the manna that was strewn across the open ground of the wilderness so that when the Israelites walked out of the door of the tent, they were able to gather it easily every morning. This manna of Jesus is of a hidden type, but it is still daily bread (root meaning-to raise up from the ground, lift up, to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up) (Mt. 6:11).
If we find ourselves in that secret, hidden, obscure place, it may well be that we are there because it is where God wants us for a time, in order to protect us from His enemies. Our provision may not be spread out in the open before us, as it was previously, but the hidden provision will be there. Even if part of the provision is bread and water for a time, it will be the Bread of Life, and the Living Water. Perhaps if we train our eyes to look for the hidden riches, the treasures of darkness, we will find it.
God hides us, and provides for us under His covering in His secret place.
"Psalm 91 Song"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67wC6-kWWSo
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