Hiding Out in the Open
My son Joey is the most precious little boy. He is smart, handsome, and kind. He is, however, totally devoid of one certain skill: he is terrible at the game of hide and seek. When you ask him to go hide, he not only picks a spot that is clearly out in the open and visible to the seeker, but he also announces his location promptly after the search has begun. Bless him, he just wants to be found!
On my own vast list of foolish deed, there is one that ranks pretty high up there. The offense? Trying to keep parts of myself hidden from a God who literally knitted my body and soul together as He created me. Talk about doing something totally in vain! Sometimes I go about my day thinking I won’t tell God about that anger or this fear or that certain sin, because it would smudge my “image” in His eyes. In the moment, all I can think is that I don’t want Him to see me like that. I don’t want His perfect, Holy eyes on the far-from-perfect parts of my being.
Then I sheepishly and embarrassingly remember a portion of Scripture that I learned almost 20 years ago:
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.”
Psalm 139:1-4
More than the inability to keep myself hidden from God, though, is the revelation that I shouldn’t even want to. He is the lover of my soul, my closest friend, my Father, and He is the One who understands me better than even me. If anyone can sort through the oft messy places of my heart and mind, it’s Him – the One who made me! Trying to hide things from Him is sort of like my son Joey’s poor attempts at hiding himself in a game of hide and seek: completely futile!
Today, realize the great joy that comes from being known by a God who is able to reveal to you the reason why you are the way you are. He can tell you how to fix those things you’d rather keep hidden, and give you insight as to how you got to them in the first place. Trying to hide from Him is pretty pointless, so don’t waste your time. Instead, accept the vulnerability that comes from baring your soul to the God who made it, and then watching as He helps heal, direct, and forgive the darkest corners of your existence. He is more than able, and all you have to do is show Him what He already knows and loves – show Him you. He thinks you’re amazing.
