God Likes to Play Hide & Seek

Today, during my reading of the book, "Sabbath" by Dan B. Allender, I came across an interesting explanation as to why God feels distant at times. Many of the Psalmists speak of God feeling far away and we too experience those moments from time to time.

Some of the possible responses when we feel distant from God may include anger or disappointment. Or maybe we might even question if God exists. We've probably all been there at some point. Maybe, we're there now.

Dan Allender offers another possible way of dealing with those times when God seems absent or distant. His theology for this approach goes like this...

When God created the world, he called it good. This means that God takes great delight in his creation. What do parents often do out of delight with their children? They play with them! One of those games is hide and seek. Could it be that when we feel distant from God, that it's just God's way of taking delight in us and playing a little peek-a-boo?

While this may sound a little "cheesy" or far fetched, I think there might be something to this. This book is making a strong biblical case for God's delight with his creation. To appreciate this biblical theme, we might need to reconsider our understanding of who God is. God is so much more than a philosophical concept. The God of creation takes delight in us, even to the point of engaging us in child-like playfulness and joy-filled spontaneity.

Just as I'm finishing this blog article, our one westie came up to me with her favorite toy in her mouth begging me to chase after her. There's never a choice. I have to stop thinking/typing and chase her around the house.

I'm back now from that playful time with Lulu. Perhaps, there is something to this thought of God taking great delight in us. Why wouldn't God want to play a little hide and seek once in a while?