Freedom in Being Found

As children, we played hide-and-seek. The whole point was to hide well enough to not be found. Sometimes, we weren’t even playing—maybe we disobeyed and knew we’d be in big trouble, so we hid. As adults, we still hide. We hide behind perfect houses, cute kids, smiling faces—all while keeping certain things in the dark. It’s too overwhelming to think of anyone finding out our shameful secrets.

Humans have been trying to hide since the fall. It’s difficult to imagine a time when people did not feel shame or want to hide. But after the first sin in the garden, things changed. In their shame, Adam and Eve hid from God (You know we can’t hide from God, right?). However, God’s first recorded act after they sinned was to seek them out.

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus shares a trio of parables about lost things being found. He starts with the parable of the lost sheep, telling about a shepherd who leaves his flock to look for the one missing sheep. In the parable of the lost coin, the woman searches her house carefully until she finds her coin. And in the parable of the lost son, the father is watching and waiting, and “while [the son] was a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). All three parables end with a celebration over the lost being found.

It's so important for us to realize that if we are being sought after it’s because we have immense value to the One seeking us. We may want to hide in shame and fear, but there is such freedom in being found. In being known. God desires a relationship with us and He has already taken the first step in seeking us. We just have to allow ourselves to be found.

Pray With Me

Lord, thank You for Your offer of security and freedom. Help me to trust You and Your goodness, even when I want to hide. In Jesus’ name, amen.