Why are You Hiding?

I can't remember how old I was but I will never forget how I trembled with excitement holding that little white carton in my hands. Inside the carton was the most beautiful blue bird I had ever seen. It had taken me, what I considered then, a lifetime to save enough money for this purchase but it was worth it! I knew without a shadow of doubt that the bird and I would become best friends.

The trip home seemed to take forever because I was anticipating the time when my new friend would sit on my finger or just maybe sit on my shoulder and nestle it's tiny head against my neck. For some reason long forgotten my mother prolonged my torture by making a stop on our way home from the pet store. For a little while I impatiently waited for her to come back to the car. Then suddenly, I realized the bird was mine and I didn't need to wait for permission to release my bird so that we could begin our bonding. So I did. I put my finger out for my new friend to come to me but then watched in stunned amazement as it chose to fly out the nearest open window.

I remembered this experience today when I read, "O my dove, in the cleft of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely."(Song of Solomon 2:14) I though about how it is always God who initiates a relationship with us and very often we are hiding.

In Genesis is was God who came in the cool of the evening seeking fellowship. But when the objects of his affection heard the sound of his footsteps like the dove in the Song of Solomon they hid. In love God pursued his creation with the question, "Where are you?" "Where are you?" I think this is a question that is meant to draw us out from our hiding place and into his presence.

Why did the dove hide in the cleft of the rock? I think it was more aware of it's vulnerability than it was the love of the one pursuing it. Why were Adam and Eve hiding? They had sinned against love. Suddenly, for the first time they more aware of themselves then they were of the one who was longing for a relationship with them.

Sometimes I feel like a trembling bird aware of my vulnerability. Sometimes I feel like those hiding in the garden aware of my sinfulness but I have become aware of something far greater. I have become aware of His love.