God Wants to Be Found

“And He has made from one blood 
every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth... 

so that they should seek the Lord, 
in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him..."

Acts 17:26-27

I was folding laundry in the basement the other day and in some glorious stroke of luck the kids hadn’t seen me go down there.  I could hear the clumping around of their feet that shook the exposed beams on the ceiling and rattled the wire rack resting against the dryer.  Eleven years into parenting those noises are hardly noticeable and certainly no cause for alarm.  

I was working my way through unmatched socks when the first of many calls for my help echoed down the staircase and around the corner into the darkened room where I worked.  

“Mom!” the voice of my five year-old rang.

“Mooooooooooommmmmmm!” a louder and more annoyed elven year-old shouted.

Their calls continued and it became clear that they really didn’t know where I was.  Glory, hallelujah!  There was no way in God’s green earth I was going to make myself known to them.    

At this precise moment Acts 17:27 flashed through my mind.  

“God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach our for Him and find Him…”

Down in my basement, close enough to hear their calls, I was hoping my kids wouldn’t find me.  In stark contrast, God tells me that He, too, is near, but He is hoping we will find Him.  Oh, the great love of God to want to be found!