Hiding

It is an odd thing, hiding.

From the beginning of time, or at least, from the Fall of man, we have been hiding ourselves. We hide our bodies (and in so doing our shame), we hide our thoughts, we hide our intentions, we hide our motives, we hide our feelings, we hide our treasures, we hide from fear and shame and pain. We are constantly on the 'hide'.

Why is this? We are so accustomed to this verb and it's action that we do it without thinking. We are taught from a very young age that it is both good and right to hide ourselves from others. Especially from those we don't know. We hide to protect ourselves. Sometimes we even hide to hurt others. We call it the 'silent treatment'. And it's effects are very damaging.

And yet there is this other side to hiding that we can also relate with that is exciting! It's the action of finding that which is hidden. Discovery of new lands, building new relationships, falling in love, making friends, birth, finding buried treasure, solving a puzzle, finding an answer to a plaguing question, filling in the blanks. Why do games such as Sudoku and Crosswords have such a hold on my attention when I glance at a newspaper? I think perhaps because I have an inate desire to discover and uncover that which is hidden.

And I find this truth at work as well, that God is hidden and has hidden Himself from us. But it does not seem that He has hidden Himself very well. Because, by reason of His grace and friendship, I am able to see evidence of the invisible God all over the place! Now, as I wander about, no matter where on earth I am, I cannot escape the presence of God nor the marks He leaves from His work. In fact, with every person I meet I am reminded of the character and vitality and creativity and awesome magnitude of our God who cannot be seen. From my vantage point, it seems to me He is only hidden from those who are in hiding already. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing ..."

We should spend more time finding God and less time hiding ourselves from Him and each other in my opinion. But I have spent a lifetime in hiding and fear and am only beginning to understand that in God's light there is no fear and that in full exposure of who I am to my core by His grace am I truly made alive and free. In truth I have nothing to hide and He sees me as a treasure found and He is my treasure that I will continue to discover for entirety of my life.