Earlier tonight I was listening to a message taught by a youth pastor friend of mine online, when he posed a very simple yet profound question. In essence, he asked his audience of about 3,000 youth: "Have you ever wondered why God continually invites people to seek Him?" And his answer hit me in a fresh way: "Because He loves to be found!"
He then went into this story that immediately connected with my own heart. He talked about playing "hide and seek" - and how, as a dad, your perspective on that game totally changes from when you are a kid. During childhood, the coolest thing in the world is to be the master at hide and seek. To find that perfect spot and elude the seekers for as long as possible is so gratifying for a 10 year old. But as a dad, it totally changes.
He talked about how dads love to play hide and seek - and how the best part is being found! It got me thinking how when I am playing hide and seek with my four year old, I love to hide in obvious places (like under a blanket with my foot sticking out) so he can find me quickly and feel proud about how good he is at the game. With my older boys, I try to make it tougher - and while I enjoy making them search, the best part is the excitement on their faces when they finally discover that a grown man can fit into a laundry hamper!
God uses the Father/Child metaphor repeatedly in Scripture to describe the way He desires for us to relate to Him. And repeatedly, He invites us to seek Him. Often we subconsciously believe that God enjoys hiding from us and that it is our job to figure out what the heck He's trying to tell us each day. But that's not what "seeking God" is all about. Seeking God is an invitation to find Him. He told Jeremiah "You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
Are you feeling distant from God right now? Does His invitation to seek Him feel like another hoop to jump through in order to make Him happy? It's not. He invites you to seek Him so that you can find Him. Sometimes it will be obvious - under a blanket with a sock exposed. Other times you may have to search through some laundry hampers. But God is findable. He is knowable. Jesus said, "if you have seen me, you have seen the Father." Everything you ever needed to know about God can be found by getting to know Jesus. If you are feeling distant, it's not because God is trying to trip you up. He wants you to find Him. Every thought you have or idea you think you know about God must ultimately be submitted to the reality of who Jesus Christ reveals God to be - full of mercy and compassion - and wanting to be found daily in the most surprising places.
Are you seeking Him? I'd like to know your thoughts... :)
Great post, Jeremy! Along with the youth pastor's comment I thought also of what Jesus says: "I came to seek and to save that which was lost" and "I came not to call the righteous, but sinner to repentance."
ReplyDeleteKeep up the race!