Lesson 332: “Hide and Seek"
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). This makes it very clear that we cannot hide from God and nothing we do can be hidden from God and yet from day one mankind has been trying. Well, actually it was about day eight that God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils and the man became a living being (Gen. 2:7). Then God made man a helpmate and then Satan, that old serpent, came on the scene and their nakedness was exposed. We know that they knew they had sinned because when they heard God’s voice they hid themselves from Him among the trees in the Garden (Gen. 3:8). Although the Scripture says that God called to them or had to “seek” them out, He knew where they were and what they had done in what they thought was His absence. Just the same way a child hides in the game of hide & seek and you call and call, knowing all the time where they little tyke is. I do not mean to insinuate that God was playing a game but rather I believe He might have been giving His children a chance to come forward and confess. What a different story we would be reading if this had of happened.
“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven whose sins are covered. Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’, and You forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm of David – 32:1, 5). David did not even try to hide his longings and sighing from the Lord (Ps. 38:9) nor his follies and guilt (Ps. 69:5). After Samuel anointed Saul to be the king Israel had demanded and brought the people together to present to them their new king, Samuel “hid himself among the baggage” (1 Sam. 10:22) and they had to drag him out. After Elijah had preformed some of the greatest miracles of his ministry, that old Jezebel scared him so bad he ran for his life and hid in a cave. However God had more work for His prophet so He went and found him saying “what are you doing here Elijah” (1 Kings 19). I love it! God asking us what we are thinking? What are we doing? Where is our faith? And like He did with Elijah, He shows us His glory and power and “seeks & finds us”.
God loves us and will never forsake us because we are here for His purpose and not our own. When we need a “power-boost” He will come and speak, through thunder or a small still voice, but He will speak if we look for Him with all our hearts (Deut. 4:29-31). We must have faith that our Lord is always with us and that He is able to do all He promises (Heb. 11:6). Remember that seeking does not mean we treat God like a slot-machine but that we seek first and He finds and provides afterward (Matt. 6:33-34). How wonderful to have been one of the first disciples; “we have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph” (John 1:45). And how wonderful to know that the same Jesus Christ that sought out the man He had healed will today seek us out, heal us and find us if we stray (John 5:14).
“Whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open” (Mark 4:22). Do not even try to hide yourself or anything you do and judge nothing before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God” (1 Cor. 4:5). Life is not a game and God is not joking around when He says He knows everything you do and say and we will be held accountable! Earnestly seek Him now for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (1 Pet. 3:12). The time to find Him is today (Heb. 4:7)!