Today I was rollerblading on the Cedar Lake loop. I was coming around a bend when I heard someone call out, "Maaa-ggieee... where aaare youuu?" I looked in the direction of where the voice came from and saw two elderly men fishing. One of the men called for Maggie again, and I heard giggling. The man nudged his partner and they both looked behind them with smiles on their faces. I kept going and soon saw a girl, whom I assume was Maggie, crouching behind some tall grasses. She was still giggling quite loudly, but as I continued on the path I kept hearing the man call, "Maaa-ggieee... where aaare youuu?" It was obvious that he already knew where Maggie was, but for her sake and the fun that she was having, he kept pretending that he did not know.
You will never know how happy I was to have encountered that simple, summery-day scene. Skating away, a smile stretched its way across my face and echoes of the man's call rang through my mind. But you know, for some reason, the echoes turned into what seemed like a question from God, directed towards me. 'Naaa-talieee... where aaare youuu?' I was a bit surprised with that, to say the least. I thought, 'Well, gee. Here I am, God. You know where I am better than anyone.' Yet the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I shouldn't be so surprised.
I suppose I could say that I feel like I've been hiding in plain sight for quite some time.
I tried to hide.
But I didn't put much effort into it.
Of course God knows where I am.
He doesn't have to search for me.
Even though hide-and-seek is my favorite game, I think it would be one game that I would never want to play with God. That, and two truths and a lie.
Anyway.
I think that God's been reminding me lately that I can't push Him away, no matter what I do - even if I'm doing so unintentionally. He's always going to be there and He's always going to show me ways to step back on the true path that He's laid out for me. Whether I like it or not, God's going to be wherever I go, encouraging me and loving me.
'But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth - he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.'
[Psalm 33:11-15]
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