Hiding In Plain Sight
Blog by Brook and Chuck Chalfant
Have you ever watched toddlers play hide-and-seek? It pretty much looks like this: Top half of their body under a towel or curtain or rug. Chubby little legs sticking out … Top half smashed into a cubby. Round little diapered bum exposed for all to see… 7/8ths of their body hidden behind a door. Sweet little toes peeking out…. Face smashed into a blanket or planted in the floor. Full body on display for all the world to see.
In spite of problematic hiding practices, there’s nothing like the “finding” part… when Mom or Dad whisper, “I see you!” … arms open and ready to scoop up their son or daughter in love and grace.
Since the beginning of creation, this is the picture, the message, the hope, revealed to us by our heavenly Father.
“I see you!” He whispered to Adam and Eve who stood naked and afraid after a poor attempt to fix their mess up. Their all-providing Father opened His arms, covered their shame, and restored relationship with them as only He could do.
Again, He whispered, “I see you,” to David, when all his brothers were brought forward as “king potential,” and he was left hidden by a label of “not enough.” God called David forward, empowering him to lead armies, build a nation and become known as a man after God’s own heart.
Zaccheus hid in guilt and insecurity. Peter hid in disillusionment and uncertainty. Yet, there stood a faithful Savior, arms outstretched, making the journey to restoration and wholeness a gracious one. He saw what others did not and drew something wonderful out of those others would not have expected.
How do we hide today? Maybe it’s hiding our insecurity by a social media front. Hiding our hurt by retreating inward. Covering our anger, doubt, and fear with addictive behaviors or shallow relationships. There are a number of ways we can “hide in plain sight.”
In the blink of an eye we can get off track when life brings a blow … relationship tension, financial stress, a bad report, feeling overlooked or ignored, not being at the place we thought we would be.
But here’s the plain truth:
We have a God who is seeking us out… Pulling us up … who loved us first. He gave His best through Jesus and His Holy Spirit. And He backs up His Word from start to finish with the hope that we can never get away from His glorious presence! He goes before us, comes behind us, and His hand of blessing is on our head.
Psalm 139 (NLT) tells us:
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
God’s eyes constantly search for hearts that are His. Not perfect people. But yielded people who seek His strength and protection. He is that Father who is anxiously awaiting the chance to scoop up His children in love and grace. He knows us and sees us and loves us like no other!
So why hide? Let’s just seek!