Craft Time! If you ever worked with kids from preschool up to high school age, at some point in time, you probably made or helped make the famous Eye of God. Remember, the crossed popcicle sticks and yarn. Yes, that's the one. You may even have one tucked away in a drawer or box somewhere. I remember getting my fingers horribly tangled in the yards and yards of yarn. In spite of the tangled messes, they really turn out pretty cool. Helping little guys hold those sticks together and get that yarn going the right way was usually good for a little tongue biting and frustration, but they always ended up making you proud of your accomplishment. Some of the ones that I saved even end up on one of my Christmas trees.
Let's fast track to this exact moment, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Are you invisible? We all have incidents during our lives that we convince ourselves that we are. You know what I mean, those moments when we are doing something wrong or sneaking around because what we are doing isn't on the up and up. Perhaps, your mother told you "no" a thousand times over not to do what you are doing, but you do it anyway, and you convince yourself it's okay, because she can't see you! My grandmother had this capricious little schnauzer named Roger. He had a habit of leaving presents in the house when he didn't want to go outside. Roger was a smart little guy, or at least he thought he was. He would do his business behind a chair, probably thinking in all of his doggie wisdom that if no one saw him, it was okay and he wouldn't get caught. Guess he forgot about the smell. That was usually the giveaway. Grandma would scold him and he would drop his head and sulk over to a corner and look ashamed. Couple of times when growing up, I remember my aunt taking claim for the mess so he wouldn't get in trouble. Really? Did you honestly think that was gonna fly? Obviously, my aunt and I forgot about those all seeing, all knowing eyes on the back of Grandma's head. I can remember wondering on more than one occasion how my mother kept hers hidden. I think in all of those times that I was perched behind my mother, brushing and combing her hair, I'm pretty sure I peeked to see that extra set of all knowing eyes. Those invisible eyes are a special gift that mothers receive with the arrival of their first child. Mine are still functioning periodically, but now we refer to it as mom's "spidey" senses. Regardless, we all have those moments in our lives when we think we are immune from rules and invisible to the rest of the world. Grown ups aren't immune from the "You Can't See Me" condition any more than our kids are. Nowadays, security cameras capture nearly every move we make. how about that guy in the car next to you that you caught picking his nose. Did you wash your hands after using the bathroom? How many of you had kids that would hide under a table or in a corner when they had to go to the bathroom. Ew...just ew! You may not have seen them dash under that table, but you sure did sense what was happening! Did you ever hide a dress deep into the center of a rack at the department store? You hoped no one saw you do it. That was your treasure to go back and buy later, right! How many times did you go back to retrieve your hidden treasure and find it gone. Yep, that eye in the sky gotcha! But the biggest eye in the sky belongs to God. Who needs those cameras, He knows everything and most of the time before we even do it. You Can't See Me! Right! BUT, HE CAN!
Back to the Eye of God, in all its yarn and popsicle stick crafting glory. One of the jobs I loved more than any other was the time that I spent working as a children's minister. Kids are so cool, mischievous, but really cool prototypes that grow up in spite of themselves. Trying to convince a 5 year old that God really does see all, know all about what we do, but what we are contemplating doing as well. Remember, HE is always there. HE really does see all and know all about each and every one of us. HE loves us all so, so much, even in our imperfection. HE is the One that knew us before we were born. Remember, He knows how many hairs are on our heads now and how many we're gonna lose tomorrow. Why do we convince ourselves that we can't be seen.
Sometimes, it's hard for children to comprehend the breath and depth of Someone that is big enough to hold the Universe and everything in it in the palms of His hands, and still be able to welcome us onto His lap for a hug and comfort when we need it. Kids "size" things up to their own comfort level and sometimes, they out-do us grown ups when it comes to that whole faith, trust, and obey thing.
Did you have a fave hiding spot when you were a kid? Remember feeling all giggly inside and trying to be so quiet so you wouldn't be discovered, whether you were playing a good old game of Hide and seek or whether you were hiding because of something you had done wrong.
Hey, what do you say! Let's all get together a good old game of Hide and seek. Who wants to be it? Don't know that I want to make a run for the base, though. Can I phone in my part? Remember, it sure was fun to be the last one found or to high-tail it back to base and get there before the "seeker". I'm sure I went home with grass stains and muddy messes on my clothes more than once. Don't forget about sliding into home base. I never wanted to be "it". Somehow, I always felt isolated when I was "it". That was the tough part. You had to find all your friends and beat them back to that tree. I bet in tossed in the towel more than once and ended the game. All you had to do was yell out "all-ee, all-ee in come free"? What a strange saying.
Where are you sitting right now? What are you doing?
At this very moment in time, I'm sitting in a Caribou Coffee in Woodstock, Georgia. I have my usual spot, back in the corner, and I'm on my first round of mint tea and a cup of yogurt. You Can't See Me, but God can. I can't see you either, but God can! Are you living this day, this very moment in time, in a way that gives Him all the Glory and praise for everything you are experiencing right now? Because He is watching you, and me, and the man at the next table and the barista behind the counter. Make Him proud. Make your Daddy proud! Always give Him a reason to nod His head and smile and say to Himself..."that's my kid down there!"
Take time to think of Him today. Remember, even if you don't call on Him, He is still there for you, any moment, any time, any day, anywhere...He is always very very good and He will always love you very very much.
So take off your cloak of invisibility and go out and play. There's a great big playground out there just calling your name and it's called Life. Live it the right way, live it out loud, live it bright and colorful. Live it for Him and make Him proud. And remember, I can't see you, but HE CAN!
Love you and God does too! Come out from behind that tree and have a great day...and remember, God gave His only Son that we might be forgiven and "all-ee all-ee in come free"!
Tag, you're it!
Kaye
