CAVE DWELLERS

Originally written several years ago – some content may be dated but the message is timeless.

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I used to travel some when I was married, and my husband and I did a lot of camping and hiking.  I loved being out in God’s creation.  One place we used to love to go was Roaring River State Park in Southwest Missouri.  After spending the first night camping at Roaring River State Park we followed Highway 112 South out of Roaring River.  There is a gravel Forest Road 197 to the East.  We drove for about 3-4 miles back into the forest and there was a cleared-out place along the side of the road for picnicking and across the gravel road was a pathway leading into some woods.  This was heaven for us.  We were nowhere near people and right in the middle of nature!  We had a little poodle named Jessie and she would tag along with us.  She wasn’t your typical poodle.  She hiked with us (albeit in my back pack) and loved it!  We came across a hole in the ground (more like a rock with an indention) covered over with a pile of leaves.  We moved some of the leaves away and discovered an opening to a cave.  Eureka!  We thought this was a cave that had never been discovered!  Well, we excitedly cleared away as many leaves as we could and began our discovery.  We quickly realized we needed our flashlights back at camp.  So, we quickly walked back to get them and returned to the new discovery!  We had to duck way down to enter the first room of the cave.  Then we had to squeeze through vertical opening of two rocks.  That is when I discovered a blind salamander.  It was beautiful!  Pure white and no eyes! It didn’t need them in that cave because there was absolutely NO LIGHT inside that cave.  Once we got past the small opening and past the vertical opening in the rocks we entered into a room that was the darkest room I had ever been in!  It was fascinating and quite an adventure.  We carefully wandered our way around a narrow ledge into the main room of the cave.  Turned our lights off and stood there for a moment in the pitch black.  We could hear water dripping and some sounds in the distance.  The cave was alive with sounds and movement.  We shined our lights up on the ceiling and guess what we found!?  Yep, bats.  It was a wonderful discovery – this hidden cave.  We did discover some handrails that had been installed many, many years ago.  So our new discovery was not new to someone from a long time ago.  But the cave was virtually untouched (except for the handrails). You would think this would be a good place to hide from anyone or anything – except the bats and blind salamanders… lol.  If I had been more aware of God in my life at that time, I would have realized that even God was there.  Yes, He was there even in that black, secluded cave.  God, the bats and salamanders… Oh my… that sounds like a book title in the making, doesn’t it?!  Knowing me now and how I am with God now, I think if I had known God the way I do now… we might have a praise and worship session right there with the bats and salamanders!  Yep, I can just imagine how beautiful this would have sounded in that cave…

“I Love You Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship You! Oh, My Soul… rejoice!  Take Joy my King, in what You hear… may it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ears.”  Here is a YouTube video of this chorus.

I have come to be so aware that God is everywhere.  He is in everything and around everything!  You cannot hide from God as David says in Psalm 139.  I love this Psalm because it assures me that God is aware of everything I do and places I go.  He is ALWAYS with me!  He has been since before I was born!  As David says so beautifully (Psalm 139:13-16)

“…¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;^[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them…”

God was with you before we were born, and He was with you during that most horrible time in your life when you thought you couldn’t even take your next breath.  He was there when you felt the most excitement and joy of your first-born baby, grandbaby or new puppy!  He is there now.  He is in your days whether you recognize Him or not.  Whether you want to admit it or not… He is there!  See Matthew 28:18-20.  Jesus promises to always be with us!  Isaiah 41:10 is another comforting scripture to assure us that God is always with us and strengthens us! 

“¹⁰ Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

God is so faithful. God loves you more than you can ever imagine and will NEVER leave you alone!  He is waiting for you today.  He is always waiting for you.  When you want to celebrate or when you want to cry!  He is there!  Jump for joy or hide your head!  He is there!  When you are confident and when you are afraid.  He is there!  Reach out to Him today and have a conversation with Him.  He would love to hear from you.  After all He calls you His beloved! 

In Him,
Leah
le**@my*******.com