8 August | Teens
«O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.» Hosea 14:1
You know the game of hide-and-seek we played when we were kids? This game can teach us something very special about our relationship with God! In today’s text, we are reminded: “O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.” This verse reminds us that it is not God who turns away from us, but it is we who, through our mistakes and sins, distance ourselves from Him. We often act as if we are playing hide-and-seek with God. We hide, out of shame, out of fear, thinking that our actions can separate us from His love, but the truth is that God never hides from us! He is always in the same place, waiting for us with open arms.
Unlike the game, where we hide so we will not be found, in real life, God already knows exactly where we are. He sees us, even when we think we are hidden by our flaws and fears. The difference is that God wants us to meet Him, He asks us to stop playing hide-and-seek with Him, and to turn to Him, our God!
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To put this message into practice, how about a game of hide-and-seek with a twist? Gather your family and, during the game, reflect on how, even in the most creative hiding place, you can always be found, in this case by your family, and at all times, by God!