The Hiding Tree

Because there was so much arguing going on inside the house, no one heard Jude slip out the back door. He ran across the yard and shimmied up his favorite tree. Somehow, sitting in the big old tree made Jude feel better--safe from things like noise and heartache. The tree was his hiding place and escape.Jude stayed in the tree for a long time. He listened to birds chirp and sing. He watched small, quick squirrels run around the yard. The day looked better from high up in his favorite hiding place. There were no problems here. Still, his heart was very heavy."Jude!" called Mom from the back door. "Where are you?" Jude saw that his grandma was there too, so he climbed down and walked slowly toward the house. "Grandma wants to know if you'd like to go home with her for a while," said Mom. "Do you want to?" Eagerly, Jude nodded."That tree you were in must be very special to you," Grandma said as they got into the car. "Your mom says you spend a lot of time there.""I like it up there," said Jude. "It's away from everything." He sighed. "But it's almost winter. Then I won't be able to hide in my tree anymore.""Sounds like you'll need a new hiding place," said Grandma. "And you know what? There's an even better place where you can take shelter from the things that trouble you."Jude was surprised. "There is? Where?""Any place you want it to be," Grandma replied. "It's the Lord's presence. Because you trust in Jesus, His Spirit lives in you, and He's always with you. He wants to help you and remind you how much He loves you. You can talk to Him anywhere, anytime."Jude kicked his feet together, looking down at the mat in the car rather than his Grandma's gentle gaze. "What if I don't want to talk about it, even with God?Grandma was silent for a moment. "Then remember that Jesus knows exactly what you're going through and promises to give you strength," she finally said. "If you don't want to talk, remember that He loves you so much He died for you, and know that you're safe in His care. He will listen whenever you're ready and will carry you through."– Nance E. Keyes