Peek-A-Boo

2 Corinthians 3:16 -18
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

While working in the baby nursery I watched as another worker played peek-a-boo with a small baby. Using a light weight baby blanket, she would gently cover the face of the child, slowly draw the blanket down his face, then smile real big and say, “peek-a-boo.” The baby would wiggle and smile and the worker would do it again. Yet, play this game with an older child, or a toddler and they can pull the blanket off themselves. The older child will continue placing the blanket over their face, because this is a familiar game; one that brings such sweet rewards of a smile, a laugh, a giggle, a hug, or a word of affirmation. O the joys of childhood.

We live in a world that continually teases us. Like the blanket placed over our face in a game of peek-a-boo, the world entices us with God’s beauty and creation of man. It lures us into a love relationship outside of marriage. It teases us with the profits that only money can buy; a bigger home, a boat, a trailer, a fancy car, or whatever appeals to our eyes or inward passion. It plays with our pride as we look in the mirror, or get a big promotion, or score a winning field goal or touchdown. It enjoys playing with our emotions - be happy with money, with alcohol, with television, with ungodly music, with drugs, with people, or with whatever hobby that brings us joy. These things are dangled in our face everyday, as if to say, “Come. Play with me. I am better than church. I am better than that dusty old Bible over there. I am better than those old fashioned hymns. I don’t hurt your knees or waste your time like praying does. I can offer you pleasure – now, in this moment. Come. Play with me. Peek-a-boo, here I am.”

Like the nursery worker who pulls the blanket off, God has given His Holy Spirit to those who have turned to Him, confessed that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Jesus from the dead. We are given the Holy Spirit. We are offered this freedom from the “blankets” of this world. We are given a Spirit of freedom that brings joy, peace, and hope. The “blankets” of this world are removed once Jesus Christ is revealed to us. We are given the opportunity to turn to Him, smile, and say, “Yes Lord, I believe. Yes Lord, you are the one for me. Yes Lord, take me, I am Yours.”

Will the blankets ever return? I say they will. They will come back in abundance. They will tease and taunt you your entire life. But the Holy Spirit, this freedom, if allowed, will remove these blankets, these distractions, and cause you to reflect the Lord’s glory. This Spirit of freedom will transform your thoughts, your words, your heart, your eyes, and your hunger for the things of this world. He will please you with the things of Heaven, the things that delight God Himself, and the things that will last through all eternity. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Come. Play peek-a-boo with the heavenly hosts. Allow God to transform your life and restore in you a childlike pleasure of pleasing your Heavenly Father.