Nang dapit-hapon na, narinig nilang naglalakad sa halamanan ang Panginoong Yahweh, kaya’t nagtago sila sa mga puno. Ngunit tinawag niya ang lalaki at tinanong, “Saan ka naroon?”

Genesis 3:8-9

Isa sa classic childhood games ang tagu-taguan. Halos lahat ng kultura at bansa ay naglalaro nito. Pero alam mo ba na nakarecord sa Bible ang unang hide and seek na nangyari?

Ito ay makikita natin sa beginning pages of the Bible. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge and evil, they went hiding from God. Do you realize how funny this sounds? The God, who made the heavens and the earth, the One who can see everything — ay naging taya sa unang tagu-taguan. Why did God allow them to hide? And why did He search for them? Maybe because God wanted them to know that even in their shame, He will still find them.

Ever since then, lahat ng tao ay nasa isang malaking hide and seek game with the Lord. We hide from God because of fear. Natatakot tayong mahatulan at maparusahan dahil sa ating mga kasalanan. But God never stopped seeking us. He stills asks the same question, “Where are you?”

God seeks us because He knows that without Him, we are lost (Luke 19:10). Dahil sa dakilang pagmamahal Niya para sa atin, ayaw Niyang mapahamak tayo (2 Peter 3:9). Pero kahit alam Niya kung saan tayo nagtatago (Psalm 139:7–10), hinihintay Niya na tayo ang lumapit at magpakita. It’s because God wants a genuine relationship with us. Gusto ni Lord ng connection, hindi coercion. That is why if you feel wounded, lost, or forgotten, it’s time to stop playing hide and seek. Confess everything to God. He does not only have the power to forgive every and any sin (1 John 1:9), but He is able to cleanse us and through Jesus, save and transform us into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).