Hide and Go Seek Blog

Psalm 23: 1-3
God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.
   You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
      you find me quiet pools to drink from.
   True to your word,
      you let me catch my breath
      and send me in the right direction.  

This verse from one of David’s Psalms has easily become one of the most sought after verses in the Bible for people in need of comfort. Whether struggling with anxiety or grieving the loss of a loved one, it’s gentle wording brings comfort to the hurting wounds in our lives. This has been my experience.
When life becomes to much for me to handle, when I’m on the verge of throwing in the towel, I find myself on the shores on a bubbling brook, sitting in the lap of my Father and smelling the sweet grass in the summer’s sun. The heat of the air warms up the dew that sits in quite on the individual stalks of long-grass. I can feel the heat around me, but I soon realize that I am soothed in the shade—the shade being provided by my Daddy
I am free to get up and drink from the river, which is clear as the afternoon sky. I am assured that it is cool and refreshing, but as I look to the stream, I know that I am in need of neither a spot more comfortable, nor refreshment. I am in a place passed satisfied.
It’s a place of honesty, where my Father has taken care of everything, down to the last crossed ‘t’.
There is nothing left to do, only to talk and share with Him my mortal heart. “Dad, I’m so sorry. I blew it…so bad. Dad—my best just isn’t good enough. I’m crushed, but I know deep down that it’s no one fault–but my own. Here, in this place, I know that You are my everything. You provide for me, everything I need. When my dependence on something else, or even, to my utter chagrin, someone else, causes me to lose sight of You and your ever present role in my life, I lose hard. Worse yet, I go down swinging.”
“Chad.” There was a pause in His voice, not as if He were struggling for words, but only letting me know that He is going to use correct ones. “I hate seeing you hurt.”
“I know, Lord. I know.” I cut Him off, but I’ve heard it all before.”
”I know you’ve heard it all before, but it’s true. Can’t you see that when you lose sight of this place, you get hurt? When you venture over the hill, or cross the river into the forest, you get hurt. When you forget about this place, and realize that you’re in need once again, you look to something else, some times even someone else, and you get hurt
“Well, what do you want me to do about it? This place isn’t everything. I want to know what’s across the river! I wanted to know what’s over the hill!”
“I’m not stopping you from leaving, but I will never give you any reason to. I will always give you everything you need.” There was sometime before either one of us said another word. I knew there was no argument to win, I hadn’t said anything that shocked or surprised him. But then, I spoke again.
”Dad, I’m just not good enough.” Again, a pause. Again, him not surprised. “If I don’t leave this place to become something greater, I will always amount to nothing. I am not good enough.
“Son.” After five deep breathes he broke his peaceful silence. “When was the last time you looked into the brook.”
“I don’t know if I ever have.”
“Look.”
I climbed down from his lap. I walked down to the stream. I peered into it. Even though it was swift enough to splash off my face, and cool me with its breeze, it stood a glass mirror beneath my feet. I peered in, and the reflection threw me into disbelief. I saw my Dad, standing over me. I realized that the picture was complete. I wasn’t missing anything.
“You see. You are complete. You are complete because of me. Not because of anything you will find across the river, or over the hill. You are good enough.
“But God, things are so screwed up. What do I do now? I’ve made mistakes. I’ve even ran away. My best just isn’t good enough.”
“I know, but my best is.”
This is the place. That is the reason. Thank you, Daddy.

,Chad

P.S. – Thanks for talking