Home Free

When I was a little girl, I loved playing hide and seek. I would try to find the best hiding place so noone could find me. It had to be in a place that was safe and not easily found out. It seemed that I wasn't very good at this game and always seemed to be found before everyone else. I also realized I was good at finding people who were hiding. I guess for me life can be like that. I am either hiding or finding people who are hiding themselves. I was reminded of this story I had heard growing up of Jesus looking for that one lost sheep and leaving the 99 behind to find that one lost sheep. He is the most awesome finder of those who are hiding. I have spent most of my life hiding from one thing or another. Jesus always found me though and keeps calling to me to come out of my hiding place. I have spent alot of wasted years hiding from Jesus. I have been hiding mostly from love and from trusting Jesus and other people. I have found that the fun part isn't the hiding part any more but being found. I love it when Jesus finds me as a lost sheep all shivering and afraid. He then just picks me up and holds me for the longest time to assure me that He is not going to let me go. He shows me that even though I hid, that he isn't angry with me and that He still accepts me. There are so many other people hiding from love just like I was. I think it is mostly that we are all afraid of being vulnerable and admitting we might need someone else to help us. In such a self sufficient and undependable world, I can see why so many people like myself want to stay hidden within themselves. I also remember a really great part of Hide and Seek and that was also the end when we all ran out and yelled "Home Free" without being tagged. I see Jesus holding out His arms and beckoning us all to run into His arms and yell "HOME FREE!!"