Can Anyone Hide Himself?

"Can anyone hide in secret places--so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord. "Do not I fill Heaven and earth?" declares the Lord." Jeremiah 23:24

Guilt always dreads the eye of justice. The criminal always seeks concealment. From man we may hide--but who can hide himself from God! The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Adam tried to hide--but he could not. Achan tried to conceal his sin--but he could not. Multitudes of great men, and rich men, and mighty men, and men of all classes--will beg of the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of the Lamb--but all in vain! There is no darkness, nor shadow of death--where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Reader! there is no place in God's universe, where can hide you from the face of God. You must meet him. You must stand naked before him. You must account for every sin--of thought, word, and deed, unto him. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. O think of that day, when God shall single you out from among millions, to stand alone before him, to be judged by him! O think of that day, when the history of your life shall be unrolled, and you shall be required to answer for every day, every hour, every minute of your life! What would you give for a hiding-place then? How will you feel? What will be your reflections? God's eye will pierce you through and through; and conscience, which perhaps slumbers now--will be wide awake then, and will take God's part against you on every charge. Then he will set your iniquities before his face, your secret sins in the light of his countenance. Then you will have no advocate, no friend, no way of escape--but will be speechless before his glorious throne!

"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. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you!" Psalm 139:7-12

My portion!
(James Smith, "Gleams of Grace" 1860)

"You are my portion, O Lord!" Psalm 119:57

Many people are proud of their possessions, and boast of their wealth; yet their possessions are very limited, and their wealth has wings and may at any time flee away!

A Christian may not be proud — but he has great reason to be thankful.

He can look over the whole earth, and say, "My wealth exceeds all this!"

He can look up and gaze on the starry heavens and say, "My property exceeds this vast expanse!"

He may try to conceive of the greatness and glory of the created universe, and then say, "I claim more than all this!"

Looking up to the author, owner, and disposer of all worlds — he can say, "You are my portion, O Lord!"

What a privilege! A portion — and such a portion.
God Himself in all His greatness, and in all His goodness.
God with all He is, and all He has — is my portion!

What kind of a portion is this? It is immense, for it comprehends all.

All the attributes of the Divine nature, are for us.
All the perfections of God's character, are on our side.
All the productions of the divine power, are for our good.
Therefore the apostle says, "All things are yours!"
Nothing good is withheld from us!

What the father of the prodigal said to his eldest son — our heavenly Father says to every one of His children, "Son, you are ever with Me, and all that I have is yours!"

And we may adopt similar language in speaking to our heavenly Father, to that used by the angel to Abraham, "By this I know that You love me, because You have not withheld Your Son, Your only Son from me!" And from this fact, we may draw the same conclusion as Paul did, "He who spared not His own Son — but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also, freely give us all things!"

O beloved, God in all the glory of His nature and perfections, God with all His unsearchable riches — is our portion!

What kind of a portion is this? It is immutable. It remains forever. Others may lose their property, or it may become deteriorated and comparatively valueless — but our portion is forever the same.

Speaking of the finest, noblest, and most durable works of creation, the Psalmist says, "In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain the same; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be discarded. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end!" Psalm 102:25-27

Our portion can never be forfeited, or alienated, or reduced in value — because it is the unchangeable God!

Blessed is the man that can say with Jeremiah, "The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in Him!" Or with David, "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance!"

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:26

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The man who has God for his portion!

(James Smith, "Gleams of Grace" 1860)

"You are my portion, O LORD!" Psalm 119:57

If God is my portion, then I ought to be content without any other portion. He is . . .
  enough in poverty,
  enough in persecution,
  enough in life,
  enough in death,
  enough for evermore!

If God gives me Himself — then it is more than as if He had given me the whole world, or ten thousand worlds like this! O how happy was the apostle Paul, who knowing God to be his portion could say, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in need!" Philippians 4:11-12

If God is my portion, I ought to be thankful. It is enough. There is no losing it. What dignity, what honor is conferred on the man who has God for his portion! I deserved to be stripped of everything, and to be turned out of God's presence eternally penniless, wretched, and miserable. But instead of this, God in His free grace, in His infinite mercy — gives me . . .
  a mansion,
  a city with eternal foundations,
  a kingdom; more,
  He gives me Himself!
God in all His glory, in all His grace — is mine!
If God is my portion, then I ought to be living upon Him. If I live upon anything outside of God — then I live upon what is finite, and will change. But if I live upon God, I live upon the infinite, and upon what is unchangeable. As a believer, I should live befitting the dignity of my lofty character, position, and prospects. The man of fortune ought not to live like the pauper. Just so, the Christian ought not to live like other men.

If God is my portion, I ought to be making a proper use of it. I should set my portion over and against . . .
  all my pains and privations,
  all my griefs and grievances,
  all my sadnesses and sorrows.
I should look above all my trials and troubles — and rejoice that throughout eternity, I shall have . . .
  eternal ease — instead of pain,
  eternal plenty — instead of privation,
  eternal joy — instead of grief,
  eternal gladness — instead of sadness,
  and eternal bliss — instead of sorrow!

Beloved, is the Lord your portion? Are you living upon Him as such?

But if God is not your portion — then what is?
Where are your thoughts most?
Where do your affections center?
After what do you pursue?
The world? It is a poor, perishing, unsatisfying portion! It will be found insufficient, unsatisfactory, and perishing! Unless God is your portion, you will be . . .
  unsatisfied in life,
  wretched in death, and
  indescribably miserable to all eternity!

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:26