a sneaky kid and no hiding

I was a sneaky kid. I remember the time I stole a nickel from the corner of an unoccupied desk in my first grade class. As I passed the desk on my way out the door to go home for the day, it sat there glaring at me, screaming, "Take me, take me." I quickly scooped it into my palm and kept walking. Then I held it tightly in my hand with my arm close to my body until I reached home, where I put it in an old play purse to conceal it further so I could bring it into the house without my mother's knowledge. It didn't work. She noticed. After much cross examination and punishment with a switch (which seemed to go on for hours), I was taken to school the next morning to return it to my teacher with tears and many mumbled apologies.

As an older child, on family dinner days, I was the Master Food Sneaker. While Mom and Aunt Wanda busied themselves with the final details of our gorgeous meal, I'd pass through the kitchen on the pretext of getting a drink of water or saying hello. While they put the rolls into the oven or set the table, I'd snitch one of the best pieces of ham or beef, the crusty bottom. Hungry girl, great bite of well-seasoned meat bursting with flavor--stolen waters never tasted so sweet.

I'm not so sneaky anymore. Not fast enough. Actually, now that I'm the cook, it's not sneaking, it's taste testing. Anyway...when I realized how utterly open we are to the Lord's sight, how nothing is hidden, I saw that it freed us to be who we really are. We don't have to hide or try to "get away with it." whatever it is, because it wouldn't work anyway. Our heavenly Father knows! We may as well ask for His help, for His forgiveness, and go on.

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him...14...we have a great high priest...Jesus the Son of God...16 Let us then approach the throne of grace...so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

The Lord knows our innermost sneakiness even if no one else does. He knows us better than we know ourselves and still completely loves us and He still makes a way for us to receive mercy and grace. He not only provides mercy and grace, He seeks us out to give them to us.

He seeks us. He pursues us even in our deceitful, unlovable state. The God of all heaven and earth, of everything, sees us in the bright light of His glory, warts and all, and pursues us--He pursues me. How wonderful is that!

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Lord, thank you for the bright light of your glory that shines on my life and for loving me and providing for me anyway. I love you with all my heart.

Suz