Consider the storms of this life, do not reckon upon a calm from her cradle to her grave, for that is to reckon amiss. The change you observe, the testing of boundaries, the sense that something is hidden, this is one of those tempests. Yet what is hidden from you is open before the Lord, and our wisdom is to shelter in that Hiding Place.
Why does a young heart hide itself away among the stuff? Is it not because we are, by nature, prone to conceal ourselves when a crown and a throne of grace are set before us? She frets under the hand that would guide her, like a child not yet weaned, her desires strong upon her. But pray that sufficient grace would come, not merely that she might open up to you, but that her soul might be quieted and content, as a weaned child, in the bosom of her God. The soul that is hiding from earthly parents often stands in greater peril of hiding from the Heavenly Father. But if you flee to God in Christ to hide you, you must be safe forever, and so must she, if she is brought into that same Hiding Place.
She is testing the old boundaries? Then let this family be stirred to a holy ingenuity. As the parents of Moses hid their child by faith, seeing something fair to God in him, so you must use your wits and common sense in prayerful love. It was a simple thing, the mere hiding of a child, but not so easy as it looks. How well it is when we go together in the endeavor to bring our children to Christ! Let family prayer be more regarded, more spiritually maintained. Even the fretful moments, the hard-to-manage silences, take these trivial matters before your great Lord. You say you cannot pray over such small griefs? Then you don’t know Him. We may play the child with Him; He deigns to be pleased with our childish prattle. Tell Him of the sullen looks, the bitten lips, the curbed feelings, He knows what is in man.
The closeness you miss is not beyond restoration, for the Holy Child, Jesus, is a Brother who joins hearts. But remember, a man whose religion leaves him passive cannot prove he is a child of God. The Spirit leads, and to be led means you are willing to go. Pray, then, that she would be willing, willing to be led out of hiding among the stuff of this world and into the true Hiding Place, who is Christ Jesus. Her salvation does not depend on who she is, but upon that Hiding Place. There is room for her, even now. God is never more truly God than when He receives poor souls that make Him to be their hiding place. Let your own souls shelter there first, and then plead with holy boldness that she would come in from the storm.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do. 
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