The game of “Hide and Seek” is becoming much more routine for me — and it’s not with the great grands as much as it is with myself. Othel occasionally plays, but not as much as I do. My phone is the best hider. It’s encased in a bright pink cover so as not to be camouflaged in a blend-in black, but it still can find its way under clothing, on a back-porch chair, by my garden sprinkler, under a potholder or out of ringing sound inside my car that’s parked in the garage.

I grew weary of playing that game with my car keys, so I keep them in my purse. When my purse opted to join in the hiding game, I assigned it a permanent spot near our garage en-trance. That eliminated keys and purse from joining the game.

There was a time I could “put something up” for safekeeping. No more of that. I’m a better hider than my phone! When we downsized, we left more “stuff” than I could have imagined. With less stuff and clean, empty cabinets and drawers to use in our new home, I felt like the queen of simplicity about to begin my reign.

How quickly time has passed in our 10 years in Brandon, but it hasn’t been too quick for me to accumulate more “stuff.” My shopping days have dwindled to a minimum, but somehow the contents of our cabinets say, “Move over,” and “stop pushing me!” For that reason, putting something up is always a bad idea. If I “put it up,” believe me it’s in safe keeping!

This week I was reading a wonderful devotional on finally reaching the revelation that a believer can do nothing of ourselves. It’s when we observe our total need of Jesus and our own weak, helpless flesh that the emptying of self is not just a spiritual idea but a necessity. Self must be renounced if we truly desire to be a disciple of our Savior. That’s where a war begins; self wants to reign and rule, but to be filled with Jesus, we must make room.

When I took the free gift of salvation, my old sinful nature died, giving Jesus full occupancy of my life. Colossians 3:3 says it plainly: “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” That’s a wonderful thought to grasp.

The writer of that devotional explained, “The enemy can reach only that which remains of self and not that which has been hidden in God.” As I read that victorious thought I remembered that the devil is always seeking someone to devour, but for those “hidden in God,” the devil’s search will always be futile. Now that’s the PERFECT hidden.

Letters to Camille Anding may be sent to P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602.