Hide and Seek

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. 

Luke 19:10

 

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

Luke 15:5

We camped with the grandchildren at Cades Cove, TN this week. While visiting the John Oliver Cabin on the historical loop the girls decided to play hide and seek, the oldest hiding from the youngest. 

Laurel snuck away from her sister on several occasions but the little one finally found her. With the satisfaction of having won the game, Fern plopped down on the porch to rest. 

Hide and seek is a game older than these cabins and we all tend to play it in one way or another. Jesus said He came to seek and to save that which was lost. We try every move possible to avoid confronting our sins. We hide from the truth that sin usually makes us miserable. But Jesus never gives up on us. He wants us to be found by Him. In Jesus parable of the lost sheep, He says He lays the sheep He found on His shoulders and rejoices, carrying it back to the fold. 

Are you still hiding from God? Do you know someone who is? Look at the satisfaction on little Fern's face having found her sister. Jesus has that look of satisfaction and rejoicing when another person has been found, brought into the fold of God. I'm thankful to have been found. 

Hey Kids:

What games do you like to play? 

There are a variety of hide and seek games I played as a child. 

Here's just a few. Maybe your parents or grandparents can show you how to play.

Thimble, Thimble, Who's Got the Thimble

Doggie, Doggie, Who's Got the Bone

Marco Polo

Blind Man's Bluff

Pin the Tail on the Donkey

Let our games remind us that Jesus is seeking after each one of us. Let Him find you. 

Blessings,

Gail

Hide and Seek in Plain Sight

But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

Have you ever played hide and seek in the dark? It can be a lot of fun until you run over a birdbath or a lawn chair or whatever and go stumbling and tumbling into the hedges and ponds. We know we are looking for someone but we can’t see the obstacles in our path if we play in the dark.

We all live our lives in the dark spiritually until we understand who we are seeking. We look for things to satisfy us. We look for people we think will satisfy us. We look for jobs that pay lots of money in hopes of finding the price that will satisfy. Hopefully, we realize that who we are looking for is actually God, who has been waiting for us all along.

Deuteronomy tells us that if we start right now and seek the Lord, we will find him. We must seek him with all our hearts and with all our souls. He is not hiding, but he is waiting in plain sight. We can’t let the things of this world or family or friends keep us from seeking God. We must put first things first. Matthew tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto us. What things? All the things we put before God, the obstacles that keep us from finding the God our hearts desire.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near; Isaiah 55:6

What obstacles stand in your way? From right now seek the Lord.

Hey Kids:
How many times have you played Hide and Seek?
Each time we play it's fun and full of giggles.

Seeking God is never-ending, though it's not a game. It's a lifelong endeavor.
The more we learn about the Lord the more fun, the more joy we find in the Lord.

How can we go about seeking the Lord on a daily basis?
I know you've already answered," read the Bible." But I'm thinking there are other things that you encounter every day that help you find the Lord.

When you try a new science experiment, are you amazed how God made that piece of science work?

When you lie on your back and look up at the stars, are you amazed at the patterns God put in the sky? Do you wonder how people navigate with the stars?

When you see a newborn baby, are you amazed at how a child is formed so perfectly? Do you wonder what plan the Lord has in store for that child?

Are you seeking the Lord's plan for your life? Seek the Lord. He'll always amaze you.

Blessings,

Gail

Hide and Seek

Pray without ceasing. I Thessalonians 5:17

I want to welcome Jetta Allen as my guest blogger this week. 

Jetta lives in North Carolina where she writes stories for children and devotionals for adults. She and her husband Jim are retired. They often ask their children if the grandchildren can come out to play. Jetta's experiences have shown her how prayer can change a situation. Today, she relates one of those experiences with a snake. Personally, I think snakes are always a good reason to pray. 

On Saturday, nine-year-old Ethan watched his mom shine a flashlight in the kitchen cabinets and under the sink. He peeled his orange and licked juice off his fingers. “Mom, why don't you call Miss Jen and pray about it, like the Bible says?” 

Beth Adams nodded. “You're right. What was I thinking?” She called her friend and explained. 

Jennifer's laughter rippled through the phone. “Oh, I'm sorry, Beth! I've never laughed at a prayer request,” Jennifer said. 

“I know. It's the strangest request ever, but we've looked all over since we got home yesterday,” Mrs. Adams said. “I'm desperate. I don't want to spend another night wondering where it's hiding. With Jason gone for the sixth-grade weekend trip, it's up to the rest of us.”

 Jennifer snickered and Mrs. Adams waited for her friend to settle down. What were a few more minutes, anyway? Jason's pet snake escaped over twenty-four hours ago. “Yesterday afternoon, Ethan went to refill its water. That's when we realized Fang was missing. He escaped from the old aquarium Jason used as a snake home,” Mrs. Adams said. “I'm thankful he's completely harmless, but still . . .
At bedtime, I handed Ethan a bath towel with instructions. He rolled his eyes, but took it. I stuffed another one against the bottom of Tim's and my door. I did not want to discover Fang coiled up by my shoes.” Mrs. Adams peered under the sink again while Jennifer giggled. “This morning, Tim went to work, but Ethan and I looked in Jason's room again. We're still snakeless.”

“Whew, what a problem. Ok, no more laughing. Ready to pray?” Jennifer asked. 

“Yes, thanks to Ethan. He suggested it. I was so busy searching, I forgot to ask God for help. God cares about every problem, I know. Even pet snakes.” 

Ethan headed outside while the two friends prayed. They asked God to reveal Fang's hiding place. “Thanks, Jennifer. I'll update you later,” Mrs. Adams said.

She headed upstairs to look once more in Jason's room. There sat Fang on the desk, swaying like a small cobra. “Lord, that was a fast answer. Thank you. Now it's my turn,” Mrs. Adams whispered. On school books, by the snake lay Jason's big work gloves. Mrs. Adams eased a hand into one and grabbed the snake. Fang resisted. “Oh, great,” she mumbled. She pulled harder. He was stronger than he looked. At last, he gave up and whipped his body around the glove and her arm. Mrs. Adams shuddered. “Okay, Fang, let's get you back home.” She banged on the window. When Ethan looked up, Mrs. Adams held up the snake. The back door slammed and footsteps trotted up the stairs. 

“Wow, you found him!” Ethan grinned and leaned close to the snake. “Hi, Fang.” 

“The Lord uncovered him, so I had to do my part. Run find that old scrap of plywood. And Ethan—hurry. I'm not crazy about holding him.” After easing the snake into the aquarium, Mrs. Adams and Ethan covered it with plywood and stacked heavy books on top. 

Later that afternoon, Mrs. Adams peeked in the aquarium. “Fang, we forgot to leave you air holes. We can't have you smothering.” She called Mr. Adams at work and explained the problem. 

When he got home from work, he and Ethan built an escape-proof lid from a window screen. “This snake's home is really fancy now.” Mr. Adams gathered his tools. “Jason will be surprised tomorrow.” 

“I still don't like snakes, but this little guy is okay.” Mrs. Adams looked at Fang curled against the aquarium's glass wall. “He obeyed his Creator and came out of hiding.” 

“When a problem seems too small to pray about, let's remember Fang,” Mr. Adams said.

Hey Kids:

What experiences have you had that reminded you that prayer is always the answer?

Try writing out your experience. 

Don't forget to use your five senses in describing your story. 

Mrs. Allen and I look forward to reading your prayer experiences. 

Blessings,

Gail