For most of my life I've felt that God and I have been playing a game of hide and seek. Sometimes it seems God is hiding from me, and other times I'm hiding from God. We go back and forth like this, it's the nature of our relationship. Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to attend Uno Camp at Camp Caroline with my 6 year old daughter. Camp Caroline is nestled on the banks of Dawson's Creek right where it opens up to the Neuse River just upstream from the Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. This was my kiddo's first church camp and the first for me in many many years.As a youth, I loved going to camp in the summer. It was a time to see friends that I hadn't seen since the previous summer, a time to hang out with some grownups (aka counselors, aka just big kids) that I had come to admire, a time to ignite some summertime romance (even if it was just for a week), and mostly a time for fun. Church Camp in Athens, Texas at Disciples Crossing, though we didn't call it that way back then, certainly holds a special place in my heart. Among all the fun we worshiped, praised God, and learned to love Jesus together as we joined in fellowship.
In a place as tranquil and holy as either Disciples Crossing or Camp Caroline you just get that feeling that God is there with you. Guess what? You're right! That, my friends, was the highlight of my overnight trip to Uno Camp. I went so that my daughter could experience camp, like I and many of my friends did, so that she too could grow closer to Christ, and also so that she, quite selfish of me I must admit, could be comfortable with the camp so that next year we could send her away for the weekend. What I personally expected was to go and have some fun and maybe see if I could find God lurking around there somewhere. What I walked away with was truly a surprise to me.
I'll just get right to the point here. For years, I've looked for God to be hiding, to be lurking around the corner, to be whispering to me in that "still, small voice." I've hidden from God and been distant so that our Almighty Creator wouldn't know the sin I was participating in. What hit me that weekend was that sometimes, more often than we realize really, God is exactly where you would expect! It kinda hit me in the face like, "Wake up, I'm right here in your face!" while I was standing there in admiration observing the beautiful sun set behind the calm flowing waters of Dawson's creek. Standing in front of the water was a tall wooden cross that towered above the stone worship table. On the front of the table the words "This Do In Rememberance of Me" and to top off this scene of Glory was my beautiful daughter standing at the table, reminding me that I was lead to this place, to see this beauty and divine creation, by the hand of a child.
Yes, sometimes you don't have to go looking for God, sometimes we just need to open our eyes and look, we'll see that God is right there ready to smack us in the face. Pay attention!
Peace be with you as you find God exactly where you'd expect.
