Hide and Seek
When was the last time you played hide and seek? Do you remember the excitement of finding the perfect spot there was, “no way anyone would find you’re here?” You could hear the searcher going right past you and looking all around but you sat safely hidden. Unless you have kids or are still a kid at heart, it has probably been a while since you last played a game of hide and seek, but did you know when the first game of hide and seek was ever played? That’s right, between God and Adam & Eve. Right there at the very beginning of humanity was Adam & Eve hiding from God, because of the shame they felt for eating of the fruit they were commanded not to eat. Genesis tells us that God went walking through the garden, in fact it literally says, “They could hear the sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of day (Genesis 3:8).”
Ever since that time man has been hiding from God and His calling on their life and God has been seeking after us. Moses went into the wilderness and hid from his calling after killing the Egyptian, Gideon hid in the family business, and the disciples hid from the pharisees and roman guards upon Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. I don’t know about you but when we played hide and seek as kids, it was always undesired to be the seeker, it usually meant you got caught and if you had a base, then you would have to chase people down as well as find their hiding place.
God however has always been the seeker; it is in His nature to seek out his creation. Jesus gives the parable of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine to seek after the one lost lamb. And in Matthew 7:7, After telling us to ASK, He says to SEEK. Jesus is wanting His disciples to realize that their nature, being made in the image of God, is that of a seeker.
We are to seek answers to the questions of life, we are to seek out truth in a world of counterfeits, we are to be like the shepherd and seek out those who are lost in life and help bring them back into the fold. However, it is often easier to hide than to seek, hiding requires the least amount of energy and offer the least path of resistance. It is also one of the devil’s greatest tools to down God’s children.
Proverbs 18:1 says, “One who separates himself seeks his own desire; He quarrels against all sound wisdom.” Not only is a lack of seeking not healthy, but it is also selfish and unwise. As born-again believers we are to no longer be those who hide. We are the seekers, those going into the dark place and pulling others out and into the light of Christ.
I pray these words will encourage you this week as you prepare your heart for our time of worship and fellowship this weekend at LifePoint.
Peace,
Nathan Bentley