“…God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:5-9
I was convinced as a kid when I played hide-and-go-seek if I squished my eyes tightly shut so I couldn’t see any light from the other side of my lids and so all was darkness behind my closed lids, nobody could find me even if I was out in the open in the clear and light of day. Obviously I would be found and lose. It was only child’s play; games were for fun.
How many of us adults convince ourselves we can tuck our secret sins tidily and quietly in the darkness of our innermost hearts and beings, squeeze our eyes really tightly shut so all is darkness behind our closed eyes despite the light around us, and not have anyone discover the wrong we’re doing in the pitch black of our darkness?
This isn’t a child’s game called hide-and-go-seek. This is about light – or darkness. It’s about life – or death. It’s about God – or the flesh and Satan. It’s about heaven – or hell. It’s about an indescribably amazing relationship with God now and forever – or forever apart from Him in fiery torment. We can squish our eyes really tightly shut and convince ourselves nobody around us sees – not our families, friends, co-workers, teammates, classmates, neighbors, police, judges, shelter workers, prison guards, etc. We can squish our eyes shut so tightly we even convince ourselves we can’t see our own secret sins. We can plaster smiles on our faces, don our makeup, put on our pretenses, put on our shows for the world, keep up appearances all we want, but we are only foolishly, dangerously, destructively, and ultimately fatally deceiving ourselves.
God loves us so indescribably much He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to the cross to pay the penalty for our sins so we can repent of our sins, believe in Christ as Lord, and surrender our hearts and lives to God and His ways forever so we can live in the splendor and majesty of His love, grace, mercy, hope, peace, joy, and light forever and ever. He sees every single one of our sins no matter how tightly we squish closed our eyes. His wrath to come, judgment, and hell and the lake of fire forever are for those who refuse to come out of hiding. Oh, but the magnificence of His unfathomable love, to live in His light, to bask in His fellowship, to love and serve Him as Lord for eternity, to rejoice in Him, nothing compares!
Come out of hiding! Come into the light! Forever!