Having a perfect hiding spot was the goal of every kid while growing up. The better the hiding spot, the better you would win. In case you didn't know it, hide and seek is a competitive activity. We all have memories of being "It" and being the one hidden. Both usually ended up cheating a bit in the end. The goal was to have fun which usually happened. Sometimes the fun was stopped by fighting over whose rules were being violated. I feel confident that this prepared us for life in one way or another.
None of us are perfect. Nor will we every be. We shouldn't expect that from others as well. The higher the expectation placed upon us, the more we would like to crawl under a rock and hide. This is the adult version of hide and seek. Have be you ever been in a team meeting and a topic comes up and everyone looks at you? How about that candy bar that you hid in your desk 3 days ago? Perhaps you play hide and seek with yourself. If I don't think about it, it doesn't exist. Not done yet! We find ourselves playing hide and seek with our spouse. The ante is upped the greater the need to hide. We do come by it honestly though. When Eve and Adam has eaten of the forbidden fruit, they went in hid. Why? They had learned they were naked. Metaphorically speaking, when we come before God our soul is no longer hidden. We are naked before God. I know of no one who wants to examined by God.
The other side of the coin is that we play hide and seek from God. Usually so that we can remain in our sinful behavior. We've convinced ourselves that what's inside of no man can see and thus is of no concern. Not with God. He seeks to see every part of our being. He longs to be intimately associated with us. We, on the other hand, don't like to be examined this way. While God is much different from our earthly companions, there are some similarities we cannot escape. First, we really do want to be found by both. When we are playing hide and seek with friends we want to be the last one found. That's because with this position of coming in last you are actually first and the winner. With God you come in first and are the winner. Odd but true.
Winner of what? In other games the game begins with there being choosing of the sides. No one wants to be last there. It's crushing to learn that you are least amongst your group. "Well, if we have to take Steve, we will take him." What a rotten feeling it is to be chosen last. With God everyone is first and there is no last one chosen. It's like a "one on one" game with God. The difference there are lots of players. Millions of them over the ages have played with God. He always wants you to win. So, he has laid out the answers to the puzzle, questions on a test, or history exam ahead of time. You get to know all the answers before you choose to play a game with God.
What does that mean to us? For beginners the winner gets the reward. God wins too. There is no loser. Everyone lives! Still we want to turn the game into hide and seek with God. We believe that we can "hide" from God and enjoy an earthly life (against the rules). This futile effort on our part is quickly pointed out and yet we deny we are doing this. Being in denial is also against the rules. So, what is allowable "according to the rules?" We get to hid in plain view AND win!! Can you believe it?! It's not that God is dumb or anything like that. It's because like we do with our kids, he lets us win when he knows that he can beat us. God wants us to grow up in him as winners.
Hide and seek is not necessary with God. He loves us and wants the best for us. All his rewards are laid out on the table before the game playing begins. The option of playing or not is completely up to you and I. We choose whatever prize we want. On the one hand is heaven and on the other is hell. Both prizes are on the table in plain view. Hide and seek is really hide or seek. As a hider you choose a negative prize. As a seeker you choose a positive prize. How are you doing in your game?
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