Don't Play
Hide-And-Seek With God
September 30, 2002
We've all done things we're ashamed of. Things we
hope nobody every finds out about. Things we lock in a safe in
the back room of our mind. Approaching our shame is like
climbing into a cave with a sleeping bear. The best we can hope
for is a bad scare. But if we actually grab hold of the bear,
things could get worse very fast. The bear might rip us to
shreds. Since most men feel ill-equipped to take on such a beast
they avoid the cave and the bear. Ultimately, it's fear that
keeps us from facing the truth about ourselves.
That's what happened to Adam and Eve. Before the
Fall they were "both naked, and they felt no shame" (Gen. 2:25).
What a statement! They had nothing to hide from each other. Adam
and Eve experienced untainted intimacy with God and each other.
And then sin entered the picture. Their wrongdoing
caused them to not only suffer guilt but spiritual scarring. A
dark spot stained their inner person. At their core--they were
now sinful.
How did they respond? First they experienced
fear--fear that God would see their sin, fear that they would be
rejected. Next they hid from each other and God. Finally, when
confronted with their sin, they evaded responsibility by blaming
someone else. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the Serpent.
Like Adam, we frantically try to cover our shame.
We try to find someone or something else we can blame for who we
are and what we've done. As long as we succeed in hiding our
shame, we remain its slave. It controls our thoughts, motives
and relationships.
Fortunately, God refused to allow Adam and Eve to
stay in hiding. He chased them down and dragged their sin and
shame into the light. He exposed what they had been trying so
hard to hide. Then, and only then, did they find intimacy with
him and with each other.
The same God who found a hiding Adam and Eve will
not allow you to remain in hiding. He will seek you out. He will
uncover your hiding place. He will expose your shame. Once he's
done that, God will forgive and cleanse you (I Jn. 1:9). And
then he'll make you a Mighty Man.
I wonder, have you been hiding from God? If so,
give up. You can't win until you come out of hiding. Admit your
sins and celebrate his forgiveness. Allow him to cleanse you and
fill you with his power. If each of us comes out of hiding--God
could spark spiritual revival. Ultimately, revival will come one
man, one day at a time.
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