When I was little, I had the opportunity to own a story book specially bought for me. I remember going out on a special gift date with a lovely lady from my church to choose a story book as a gift. Entering that bookshop, I felt like I was in paradise. I was surrounded by all those stories I could dive into. The world of books was a wonder for me and I loved to go there. To be honest, faced with all those storybooks, my choice was for Hercules. Trust me. It was not because of his muscles! Lol.

Even though in my heart, I would have chosen the ‘muscled guy’, the giver got me “Toby Bunny’s Secret Hiding Place.” I can tell you for a fact that I never would have picked that book among the popular ones on sale. It was way cooler to own books on other more popular fictional characters like Aladdin,  Cinderella, Snow White and so on than the unknown one I got. Well from my limited perspective as a child. But I love books and so I gladly read it. And perhaps, I got that book for a time such as this. God works in mysterious ways for sure. I read that book so many times too.

The story was pretty simple.  I can remember it till this day. It became quite dear to my heart.  Unfortunately, my family moved so much in my childhood that I eventually lost it. Anyway, let me get right into it.

We are introduced to a young bunny named Toby who sometimes wishes that he can have some alone time where He can be in solitude. For a little bunny, that is impressive grown up behaviour. One day, he decides to go out searching hard for places he can hide. Unfortunately for him, wherever he went, he found that it was just not right for him. In one particular scenario, he hid under a table yet, his older sisters found him there and tried to play games with him. All his efforts thereafter to find his hiding place were futile. Ultimately, he found a hole in a bush and determined that it was perfect for him. He entered the bush headfirst – happy with his find. Initially, he seemed comfortable there but soon he realised that he was stuck in it. He could not come out on his own. Unfortunately, he stayed stuck in the hole until evening time and that was when he really became afraid.

We are introduced to his father later in the story when he realised that Toby is missing. He found him stuck in the bush late at night all frightened and tired. He rescued him from the bunny-eating bush. lol. The next day, when His dad found out why Toby was hiding in the bush, he showed Toby his own secret hiding place. The story ends with Toby going there often as well to enjoy some solitude with and without his dad.
The End!

I do not know if you enjoyed the story but for me, remembering it makes me smile now. It carries such fond memories of my childhood. And the Holy Spirit inspired me from the story.

A few weeks ago, I learned about ‘rest’ in a women’s fellowship group I am part of. The subject of rest we discussed, reminds me of Toby’s predicament. Like him, ever so often, there are times that we just want to shut the world away. We are looking for a place of solitude where we can find strength and gain perspective. But the places we look for this solitude often falls flat on its face.

We find that the more we want a place to hide, the more exposed we become. Hiding in our jobs doesn’t help. Hiding in an addiction gets us stuck headfirst in a bush we can’t escape from. Hiding in earthly relationships only gets us more entangled in expectations we cannot fulfil. Hiding in food makes us crave even more and more. Hiding in money leaves us with a hole in our hearts even though our pockets are full. Hiding in things never seems enough.  And before we know it, it is nightfall and we get lost – alone, and in a dark place we can’t get out of on our own. We want to escape the world through the things of the world yet we become lost in the instability it gives us and the circles it throws us into.

In Psalm 32:6-7, David learned a great thing when he contemplated all of God’s grace and mercy towards him. “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” In the beginning of the Psalm, David remembered how sinful he had been. He recalled how he had tried to hide his sinfulness from God hoping it would be dealt with. But he realised that the more he did, the more he said that his soul dried up within him. He needed a place of rest. A place of cleansing, and a place of restoration. David shares with us how he turned to God and how God restored him. From that, he joyfully declared a truth he had learned – that God was His hiding place. A place to hide from all things and people that sought after his life. A place away from the floodwaters of life. A place away from sin and evil. A place away from anxiety and worry. A place away from fear. In that situation, He learned that a hiding place is our Father – where deliverance dwelt. A place of complete rest.

In our story of Toby, when he was stuck in the bush till night. Hungry and lonely because he wanted a place of solitude, the one who went out to find him and rescue him was his father. And I love the response David also receives prophetically in the next verse after his declaration in verse 37. “The Lord says, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.Psalm 32:8

God never takes His eyes off us. He wishes to show us the best way for our lives. The best path out of trouble. The way of rest. And do you know where that is? It is in Him! When Toby let his dad know why he was hiding in the bush, his father showed him the best hiding place. Right where he was. In a secret hammock that he had prepared. When Toby with his childlike heart and strength tried on his own, he failed miserably. His heart was right but his execution was wrong. When his father stepped in and showed him the place he had prepared for himself, Toby found a secure place to be. And now Toby had the privilege of going there when his father was or was not around to enjoy some solitude.

The story of Toby’s hiding place is beautiful. But we (and by we, I mean children of God) have an even more beautiful story because ours is real. We have a good Father who wants to be our place of hiding. Our place of rest. He desires to be the place where we come and lay down our burdens and take on His which is light and easy. A place where we have peace and joy. A place of love. A place without worry and anxiety. A place to put away the cares of this world and the weights that easily entangle. This place is real! This God is real. His invitation is real. His Son Jesus Christ said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28-30. Your burden is heavy. His is light. Your burden is difficult, His is easy. You are weary, He has rest to give you. Are you still hesitant?

The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit call us to rest in them. To rest in fellowship with them. To cease from all our labours. Are you searching like Toby? Hoping to find that place where you can shed the heavy load and find solitude but it seems elusive? Then look to the Father. Look to the Lord Jesus Christ. Take comfort in the Holy Spirit. Rest awaits you if you will take the invitation. The call of Jesus is to believe and you will receive. Do you know Jesus Christ? The opportunity is here to accept Him; to take His offer of rest and cease from all your labours. The opportunity is here to find your hiding place.

Please enjoy this wonderful rendition from Selah. Love.