Hide and Seek
Debra Lake
Do you remember playing Hide and Seek as a child? That was such a thrilling game. Let me share what it was like when I played. Being an only child my imagination was always used so I had fellow players. I imagined playing with God. Many times he would go hide and it was my job to seek him first. Then there were times I ran off and hid and it felt like it would take hours, days, even weeks for God to find me.
I often felt very scared and alone. Without fail, I always had another “friend” who showed up. He wore ragged clothes and was dirty and smelled bad, but I was so lonely I played with him anyway. He would say “I am here and I am going to show you a hiding place where he can never find you.” He took me places that were really “good” hiding places. I felt I surely would never be found. Many times I didn’t know where he was taking me and I would get lost and confused.
There is one thing about God that I sometimes forgot. God knows all, sees all, hears all and he is never fooled. He knew where I was hiding all along and just allowed me to play along. When enough time had passed He would yell out, “Come out, Come out little Girl, Seek me and find me”.
The ragged clothed smelly boy would try and convince me to stay. He would hold onto my shirt and say, “don’t leave; stay here with me.” At times, I would stay a little longer and then there were times when I couldn’t wait to come out. I would enthusiastically run up to God and say “here I am, here I am, I would much rather play with you. It’s now my time to Seek you. I like playing the game much better that way.
