Hide and Seek - The Crosswalk Devotional - October 6

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Hide and Seek
By Megan J. Conner

Bible Reading:
“But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” - Deuteronomy 4:29 (NKJV)

Over the summer, my husband and I were blessed to host three special littles and their parents. They stayed with us for eleven days and thought Uma and Umpa’s house was THE best. Why? Because they said it was the perfect house to play hide and seek. And oh, did we play hide and seek! Round after round, we took turns hiding while the chosen seeker sought us out. Sometimes, the players concealed themselves so well that the game lasted quite a while.

One round, I was assigned the role of hiding and scrunched myself into a tiny corner of our basement laundry room, tucked underneath the ironing board. It was a pretty good hiding spot, if I do say so myself. Well, it ended up being so good that it took all three of the kids and my teenage daughter almost 30 minutes to finally discover me. Relief and a hint of frustration were on the faces of my seekers as they grabbed my hand and helped me exit my small, uncomfortable space.

“Uma!” they declared. “It was so hard to find you!”

“Well, thank goodness you found me,” I replied. “I was getting lonely down here all by myself in the dark.”

“We’ve got you now, Uma!” they laughed triumphantly as they rescued me with smothered hugs.

What an interesting comparison between this innocent children’s game and our walk with the Lord. Perhaps you can recall moments when you have been in a similar circumstance. When heartache, disappointment, or the slippery slope of sin has drawn you intentionally or unintentionally away from God. Why is it that when we face challenges, we tend to distance ourselves from the Lord? Utilizing our own expert hiding spots, we curl ourselves inward and assume the darkness will provide a respite from the pain.

Then, before we know it, we long for the complete opposite. Where is our rescuer? Why can’t we find the Lord in the midst of all that is plaguing our hearts and minds? We remain secluded in isolation and assume God is intentionally remaining aloof and does not want to be found by us. But the truth is, He is there patiently waiting for you to reach out towards the light, to reach out to Him.

The Word of God assures us, “the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you,” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV), that He will be “with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matt. 28:20, NLT).

There are seasons where our Heavenly Father allows us to wander in the desert, but He has not left us there alone.

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Acts 17:27 (NIV)

Whether you have been called to a wilderness season or simply have separated yourself from God, He is ready and waiting for you to turn your heart towards Him. He desires to be found. If your heart feels distant from the Lord today, ask yourself who is the one who is really hiding. If you are truly longing for connection with the Lord, all you need to do is “seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul,” Deut. 4:29, (NKJV).

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Where is your heart today? Are you hiding from the Lord? Or perhaps you feel that He is hiding from you? How does today’s scripture remind you that God is present and available if you are willing to seek Him out?

The scripture from Deuteronomy 4:29 says that the Lord can be found, but only when we seek Him with all of our hearts and all of our souls. “All” is a big word here… Take some time today to evaluate the position of your heart. Perhaps make a list of the things that you value most. Are you prioritizing your time, talents, and treasures for your own purposes first? No matter where you find yourself today, know that the Lord is patiently and graciously ready to pull you out of your hiding place and into His arms.

Further Reading:
John 17:20-26
Hebrews 13:5-6

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Meyer & Meyer 

Megan J. Conner is an author, editor, speaker, avid consumer of literature, writing consultant, and overall lover of all things creative!  She is passionate about the written word and compelling storytelling. Whether that is through imaginative and whimsical children’s literature or faith-based works that allow readers to be immersed in narratives of authentic faith shared through the lives of imperfect people, Megan hopes to remind audiences of the beauty and power of shared stories.

To read more from Megan, check out her Blog, Just One More Chapter.  If you would like to connect further with Megan, you can discover more on her Website, on Facebook, or Instagram.