Hide and Seek

"Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23b).

One of my favorite rewards of being a homeschool parent is that my family had so many opportunities to play games. Of course, the usual game our younger children chose was Hide and Seek. With the help of their older siblings, my little ones actually became very good at hiding completely out of view. However, even though they managed to hide their bodies, they usually couldn't control their giggles when I said, "Come out, come out wherever you are!" After locating their hiding place, it was my turn to laugh when they asked, "Mommy, how did you find us so fast?"

Although we may smile at the innocent attempts of our children to hide, God the Father does not. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, man has been trying to hide his sin from God's almighty view. In fact, like Adam, we play games with God and foolishly think He doesn't see us when we sin. Worse still, we even try to play Adam's great cover-up game and cloak ourselves in the flimsy leaves of good works. Although we continue in our sinful ways, God never sees our sin as funny. When He calls out and asks, "Where are you?" as He did to Adam, we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit. With our sin revealed, we learn that there's no place man can hide from an all-knowing and omnipresent God. King David expressed it best when he said, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence" (Psalm 139:7)?

Are you playing games with God right now? Is there a known sin in your life you think He doesn't see? Maybe you've lied to your children or deceived your spouse on what you spent on homeschool curriculum this year. However big or small the sin, confess it to Him now before you quench the Holy Spirit's work in your life. Stop playing the game! Come out of sin's shadows and be found in the light of Almighty God.

Lord, how foolish I must seem when I sin and try to hide from You! Today I confess my sin, so I might be close to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.