When I was a kid, I was a big fan of “make-believe” child play. Peter Pan was my absolute favorite! I would often put on my green peter pan outfit, complete with my name embroidered on that pointy green hat with the red feather…no shame here… I would run around my house taking on pirates, saving mermaids, flying to Neverland, making my baby sister be tinker bell (lots of glitter involved), and going on grand treasure hunts.
The treasure hunts were the best.
Many times my mother would be involved as well. She would hide an object (probably candy) and leave a trail of clues to let my sister and I “fly” to the grand treasure that awaited. Now as we would play, things would get more and more exciting as we felt ourselves getting closer. Once we figured out the riddle to the next clue, we would RUN to get to the next one. When we finally found the treasure it was a grand celebration! It was a jumble of excited screams and jumping up and down.
As I look back, one of the things I remember most about games like this are going through the treasure hunt with my sister and how my mother would react after we found the treasure.
She would come and celebrate right with us. Our joy was her joy. Not only was she stoked beyond belief, she would tell us how smart we were, she was so proud of us, how much she loved us.
As we would calm down a bit she would raise her eyebrows, with a mysterious smile, and ask us “Ready for another?”
I have discovered that Life with God is a Treasure Hunt.
Only He knows the map. He created it Himself. The terrain can be different throughout life. Rocky, smooth, a little bit more difficult to see, or very obvious. He wants us to go through the adventure with Him to find it!
It is not a step-by-step instruction manual. It is not a difficult manipulative game. It is an adventure
As you draw closer to Him, you begin to know Him.
You understand how He speaks, how He makes clues, where He is directing you.
His voice is Louder and more clear because HE is directing you. Life has more direction as you are following the one that created the map in the first place 🙂
The World Race was such a tangible example for me of a day-by-day choice to continue to be directed along the Father’s master treasure hunt with me. Not my own. Not my ideas of where I MIGHT be led or where I THINK it might be right. But to listen to the maker. To draw close to Him so I could recognize Him around me.
TO LEARN TO STOP AND LISTEN
HE IS EVERYWHERE
HE IS ALWAYS
HE IS READY TO BE ENCOUNTERED BY THOSE WHO ARE WANTING
He is ready to do that through me…Through you.
So for all my fellow adventurers out there….Here is the ULTIMATE TREASURE HUNT
Matthew 28:18-19
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The adventure does not stop after the World Race. He calls us to draw close to Him every day. He calls us to know Him. He calls us to share in fellowship and community. He calls us to MAKE DISCIPLES (no that was not just created for people back in the “bible days”). He calls us to bring them to a life eternal with Him.
God is calling us to partake on the most adventurous treasure hunt of ALL TIME.
I pray that my passion to BE with the Father, to feel the Holy Spirit, to be more Christlike, to steward my relationship with Him to be more precious than any earthly treasure I could ever find. That is would burn more fervently than anything in my life.
That Child Like Faith would be wide eyed, enchanted, and ready to run wild with Father HERE…ON EARTH… WHERE I AM AT… Ready to follow him and fulfill the treasure hunt He has given to us to go on. To accept the Great Commission with Faith, Hope, and Joy. Not with fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
I encourage you today to turn to the Love of the Father and be reminded that it begins with Your relationship with YOU and HIM. But it is not meant to stay stuck there. It is meant to be given out. To pour out of your mouth, smile, heart, and life. To spill out contagiously around the people amongst you TODAY.
Pray agains the insecurities of lies, insecurities, or the UTTER LIE that you are not enough….
That is BULL.
You were more than ENOUGH to have someone DIE for you. A love that knew how WORTHY and INCREDIBLE you were (before you were even born) died to show you how much LOVE is shown for you. That will NEVER be taken away
Romans 8:37-39
We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PRAY THAT OVER YOURSELF TODAY. BE REVIVED IN THE TRUTH. IN YOUR CALLING
LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!!!!
