Happen Upon A Clear Retainer

After the marching band preview the other night, there were some people walking around the field....obviously looking for something.  I walked out to see if I could help and asked. "what are we looking for?"...I was a little taken aback when they said, "a retainer" :)  Okay, I guess I am now looking for a retainer and if I find that I will stand as if I am a hunting dog and POINT at it :)

We looked for a while....I even prayed the "lost things" prayer that someone taught me a long time ago, but we did not happen upon a clear retainer.

I was thinking more about my post from last night...especially the idea that GOD finds us.  I guess we do not really have to find HIM....He is never hiding from us....and He doesn't really have to find us because He always knows where we are.  It is an irony in a way like LOSING A RETAINER....something that is made for KEEPING.....We do TRY to hide....and even though He knows right where we are....it's almost like He whistles while He walks near us, so that we can feel like we found HIM....it's not like He is playing some game just to mess with us or that it is not meaningful to Him, but it is part of our relationship...and His way to show us love and patience.

You know how after Adam and Eve sinned they hid from God and God still walked in the garden and called out to them....I think He already knew right where they were, but, in His great patience, He played their hide and seek game to give them time to understand what it means to win....He wants us to win, so He throws our own self-destructive games to our favor whenever it isn't contrary to His nature....which is almost all the time because He is loving, merciful, forgiving, gracious.....not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to the saving knowledge of Christ....how much more of an advantage could we receive than that?!  There are still consequences to our sin...I don't want to overlook that, but His mercy is so great!  I wish there was a faith retainer I could put in when I was at my very best spiritually to keep me there....but that would also hinder me from moving forward as well.  It is all so that we will lose the desire for all the silly games that take us away from Him and just want to be with Him.

Being lost and found is more about where I allow or desire my obsessive heart to venture....is it on a path in line with or straight to God or away from Him...trying to avoid Him?

Anyway, I don't know if all of this makes sense, but I am so thankful for this relationship.....that He doesn't completely lose patience with me after a few games of hide and seek....but. He does challenge me to mature in Him, so I will take the most delight in meeting Him face to face and having fellowship with Him.