Do you ever find yourself hiding? Hiding from the abundant life to which God calls you?
Not long ago, my clan of Grands came over to spend the night at PaPa and MiMi’s. They were energetically into the game of “Hide and Seek” when one of my precious over-achievers had hidden to the point he couldn’t be found.
Those left searching grew weary. So, MiMi got in on the hunt. The little rascal was nowhere to be found in the small confinement of the house, so we began to search outside (which was against the rules at their young age!). We frantically searched around the outside to no avail and went back inside. I began to get somewhat anxious and called out,” Gunnar Joseph King, come out, come out, wherever you are!” We looked and looked and looked. Finally, with a deep sigh of relief, we heard the squeaky little giggle that led to the end of our search. He was hidden deep beneath the clutter and darkness of PaPa’s closet. Hidden so no one could find him. That was until he was ready to be found!
Just as in the game of “Hide and Seek,” I find myself hiding more often than seeking. If I’m honest, my intention is to seek God wholeheartedly, but at times I find myself hiding behind the nooks and crannies of life? I run and hide because I don’t want to reveal my weaknesses and insecurities, lack of confidence, or resentment of circumstances beyond my control. I sometimes hide when I feel lonely or feel I have disappointed God.
It doesn’t take long in the Word to find out this game was first played out after the introduction of sin into the human race. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and heard God walking about, they hid from God among the trees (Gen 3:8). This was anything but a game! They hid. Why? Because they were afraid. They knew they’d disappointed Him.
What about you? Do you find yourself hiding certain areas of your life, thinking God doesn’t know? It may be for some of us hiding behind the loneliness we are afraid to admit to God that we haven’t fully grasped that He is enough! Or could it be, there are scars, through no fault of your own, you can’t get past? We may start to believe that bad mistakes and poor choices make us not just sinners but less valuable? It could be, we beat ourselves up because we think of the blunders we’ve made along the way raising our children. So, we hide. And we hide hard, not letting God, or anyone, in.
John Ortberg writes,
“I hide because I’m afraid that if the full truth about me is known, I won’t be loved. But whatever is hidden cannot be loved. I can only be loved to the extent that I am known. I can only be fully loved if I am fully known.”
Genesis 3:9 goes onto tell us that God called out to Adam asking, “Where are you?” God pursued Adam and Eve. Why? Because He desired a close relationship with them. Psalm 139:1-4 tells us,
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God they cannot be numbered!”
God seeks you because He loves you unconditionally. His passionate pursuit of you involves the greatest gift of all … Jesus! “For here is the way God loved the world—He gave His only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life.”
So, where are you? Are you hiding in the dark? God is calling, “Come out, come out wherever you are.” He already knows everything about you and still loves you! You are fully known and fully loved. Believe it. Embrace it.
This is my prayer for each of you:
“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:14-19
I hope you will take the time to listen to the song at the end of this blog. This song was the motivation for this message. Let me warn you; it will be a song you will hit the replay button over and over.
Kim King
Lean into Jesus Ministries
“Hide and Seek” Nikki Moltz
#kimkingblogs
