THE CHILDREN'S SHELTER

During the air-raids on London some years ago many children with their parents and other people spent each night in the depths of Chislehurst Caves. There was perfect safety there and in fact persons became cured of certain diseases by the even temperature and dryness of the air. A baby girl, born there one night in a place set apart, was named Cavena.

It was through fear of extreme danger from their fellow-men that persons took shelter in these Caves. It was in fear of extreme danger from the judgment of a holy God that the households of the Israelites in Egypt put the blood of a slain lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses on Passover night. Jehovah had said the majestic and merciful words "when I see the blood, I will pass over you". God was certainly not an enemy to them but showed his love by providing them a shelter from judgment through the death and blood-shedding of another. Children, and indeed others, should know that the precious blood of Jesus gives them righteous freedom from righteous judgment. Our Saviour has Himself borne the penalty at the cross of Calvary.

A beautiful passage from the pen of Isaiah tells us that "a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the storm". That Man will be Jesus in His thousand-year kingdom on earth. He is also Jesus now, caring for His own during His absence. Children who confess Him at school may find a strong wind of ridicule blowing at them or even a storm of persecution as many before them in the testimony, but in bearing these things for His sake Jesus will give them a feeling of having in their spirits a hiding-place and covert.

That precious verse of scripture continues that the same man will be "as brooks of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land". It may be that some young believer has become discontented and critical.

This is a very dry place to be in, but even there a Man will be as brooks of water. A woman with an empty waterpot once found a Man – or was found by Him – who was able to give her living water! Through her witness many people in a weary, religious land found Jesus to be the shadow of a great rock for the reviving of their souls. Is this Man your own hiding-place?

J.C.Evershed