Scavenger Hunts and Surprises

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One of my favorite memories happened when I was six and my mom sent me on a scavenger hunt through town. She gave me the first clue at home and then proceeded to take me around town with clue after clue! One clue led me to an apple in a neighbors mailbox. We went to the post office, library and Books-a-million and probably a couple other places that have escaped my memory!  We found a couple of carrots at another friends house. Eventually we got in the car with the final clue and my mom was trying to get me to guess our destination. I think I had figured out by that point that where we were going had something to do with horses, but I remember trying to guess what that was. The zoo, a horse race, I can only imagine what my six year old brain came up with. That treasure hunt led to my first riding lesson and ever since, horses have been a healing part of my life, which even became a part of my work! 

The thing that means the most to me about that memory is all of the time and love that my mom spent coming up with each clue. As we went from clue to clue, she gave me hints to help guide me without giving me the exact answer because that would've taken the fun out of it! 

Sometimes I think that we want God to be more like a GPS, turn here, do this, recalculating....but I honestly don't think that is the way of a Father. How many of us have gotten annoyed with a GPS and wanted to turn it off! Instead I think He approaches life more like a scavenger hunt, getting excited with us on the journey and lovingly coaching us back on the right path if we start to go off course a little.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In fact what if we approached life like that, each day is actually a carefully planned scavenger hunt with treasures along the way? I believe that God lays clues that let us know we are on the right path, whether it is an encouraging word or a verse that jumps out at us or even that still small voice in our head that we sometimes mistake for our own thoughts. 

What if it's a person we are to talk to or pray for in the grocery store (which might be a part of their own scavenger hunt!), or a sunset that draws us into his presence or even hearing the laughter of small children which makes us think of our Fathers delight in us? God help me to pay better attention so that I do not miss your carefully laid clues which are found in each day of my life, in every experience.

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