hide and seek
"I was afraid...so I hid myself." —Genesis 3:10 "The Lord God then called to the man." —Genesis 3:9
God created Adam and Eve and enjoyed a special intimacy with them. Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord and hid from Him. They wanted God to keep His distance and leave them alone. Have you ever experienced this kind of rejection? Your dear, intimate friends, with whom you shared the closest of relationships, are now hiding from you, hoping to never again see your face. Who would blame God for deciding to spare Himself constant rejection by allowing Adam and Eve to continue on their chosen path without Him?
With the future of the entire human race hanging in the balance, God set a world-shaking precedent in the garden of Eden that day. He decided to seek out not only the lost (Lk 19:10) but those who did not even want to be found (Rm 5:8). Ever since that day, the Lord has not changed His approach (Heb 13:8). He has constantly sought out those who hide from Him. He continually exposes Himself to rejection, even crucifixion, in His loving desire to redeem us. Praise God for His indescribable heart of mercy! Let us turn to Him with grateful hearts and be found by Him (Jer 29:12-14).
Prayer: Father, I want to gladden Your heart. Receive my life. Never let me be parted from You.
Promise: "We do not lose heart, because our inner being is renewed each day even though our body is being destroyed at the same time." —2 Cor 4:16
Praise: Praise You, Jesus, Redeemer of Man! You have conquered sin and death. You are exalted in glory.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by one of our editors.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, November 12, 1996
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 10, 1996