Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is a fun childhood game that we’ve all played. When I was a child I remember playing this game in my house with an older girl who lived next door. She was already in middle school when I was just beginning elementary school, so I felt very special when she came and played with me. I loved every minute that she spent with me. I especially loved playing hide and seek. And I remember another form of hide and seek that I played when it was time for her to go home. I hid her shoes so she had to stay a little longer!

As we grew older, the neighborhood kids would play more elaborate forms of hide and seek, playing in the yards of neighbors on our block. There was one boy who didn’t want to play by the rules and instead of hiding, he would go home and have a snack while the rest of us continued to hunt for him with no success. Finally we caught on to his trick and made him promise to play fair or go home.

As a child I loved to hide and try to be clever so I’d be the last one found. But later as a parent of young children I found a different aspect to the game. When we would play with our little boys, it was more fun to see the look of triumph on their faces when they found us so we learned not to hide too well. We wanted to be found.

God loves to play hide and seek with us. He says that when we hide, we can feel safe. We can hide in the shelter of His wings. He doesn’t want us to hide from him like Adam and Eve did. He wants us to hide in Him.

When God hides, it’s for the purpose of drawing us to himself. He says that we will definitely find him if we seek him with all our hearts. This is a little different than what we played as children. Instead of one person seeking and everyone else hiding, it is the opposite.  In this version God is the only one hiding and all of mankind is seeking. And the greatest mystery is that He wants to be found! The God of the Universe wants you to find Him. Each day we can begin again to seek him with all our heart and we will be rewarded by sweet fellowship with Him when we find Him.

Psalm 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word.

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.