I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, “Here am I, here am I.”
Isaiah 65:1
As a little child, I loved to play hide and seek. My friends and I would spend hours counting, hiding (sometimes in plain sight) and seeking; and whenever any of us was found, we would squeal with great delight. I cannot remember which side would scream the loudest; the ones hiding or the one seeking, but I can remember as clearly as if it were yesterday, the electric feeling that would course through my veins whenever I was found. All the tension and anticipation that had built up as I was hiding, would explode in a piercing scream of joy and laughter, relaxation and a teeny, weeny bit of regret at being found so quickly.
Sometimes, we play hide-and seek with God. Instead of coming clean when we sin, we hide; we redefine; we explain, we justify and we cover-up. We’ve gotten sophisticated at this game, we’ve even managed to hide from our own conscience. You and I are not alone in this. Consider Adam and Eve who sinned and then hid, feebly attempting to cover their nakedness before God with fig leaves. God’s relationship with the children of Israel followed a similar pattern. Israel was given to hiding from God. Even though Isaiah preached righteousness and full dependence on God, Israel was cold to God’s message through the prophet Isaiah.
But God cannot negate his own nature. He is a seeker of lost souls. No matter how far we run, or how skillfully we hide, he comes seeking. In the garden of Eden, he came seeking after Adam and Eve. After he found them, he addressed the sin that separated them from him and reconciled their relationship to him. He does the same thing with Israel. After their demise, God goes looking for them. He reveals himself to them, even though they did not ask for him; he allowed himself to be found even though they did not seek him; and even though they did not call his name, he was present with them, saying, “Here am I, here am I.”
Beloved, God can do the same thing for you. Are you hiding; are you re-defining sin; are you justifying your lifestyle; are you covering up the stuff that separates you from God’s mercy? If so, you don’t need to live in tension and discomfort any longer. Come out of your hiding place. This same God, who came seeking for Adam and Eve and for the children of Israel, is seeking for your heart today saying, “Here am I, here am I.” He knows where you are, so acknowledge his perfect will for your life, and discover a joy, freedom and power in Jesus Christ, like no other. And who knows, you may even experience a teeny-weeny bit of regret at not coming clean much sooner.
Heavenly Father, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for all humanity; this means he died for me. I acknowledge my sin before you. Forgive me Lord, through the blood of Jesus Christ. I receive (recommit myself to) you now as Lord and Savior of my life. I am done running and hiding. Thank you for seeking me out, and for saving me. Today, I receive your salvation, through Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.