It’s a children’s game played so very often when children are children and then we grow up and find ourselves still playing that child’s game, only now as adults we play it so very wrong. Never taught, it’s a totally intuitive game. There are no printed rules. However, it’s a game that contains all the wonders, wanderings, mysteries and anticipations of all our lives. 

The game is called “Peek-a-Boo” and the rules are simple. The one caught closes the eyes and the surrounding children around that person hide. Sometimes in ordianry places, others in good hideouts. The child with closed eyes has to count to twenty, which to a child seems more like counting to one hundred, but then the child’s eyes are opened to the exciting mysteries of uncovering neighborhood kids supposedly secretively hiding when in fact they’re so nearby it’s laughably predictable.

Just to be seen is to be caught. To be caught means to be found out, revealed. Sometimes to be seen isn’t sufficient according to these precise child-created rules. A touch needs to occur. This significant twist to the game means that the touched youngster is now “it,” completed, done.  “You are it.” An abiding union between the wide eyed child and the once hidden child is now accomplished. It cannot be undone or changed. These strict child rules are sacredly binding. These rules must be carefully followed as only a child’s game can be played. Only a new round of the game can begin following again those strict rules.

Now, for the fun part. The adult version of the “Peek-a-Boo” game is sillyingly played again and again but is now called “Boo-a-Peek.” Leave it to adults to play a beautiful child’s game not only wrong but backwards. It’s certainly not fun for a child yet, yet adults appear to like it played that backward way. (I think it gives us more control over the game as though we can control a child’s game.)

With our wide open eyes we are constantly “Booing” our faith life looking for God; wondering where God is, wondering who God is, what does God mean to me?Looking for God, for whatever reason, is to allow God to be involved and active in our lives. 

Like the country song sings for the backward playing of this game, “Looking for love in all the wrong places…I spent a lifetime looking for you, Playing a fool’s game, hoping to win, And telling those sweet lies, Searchin’ their eyes, lookin’ for traces Of what I’m dreamin’ of, Hoping to find a friend and a lover, I’ll bless the day I discover, Another heart lookin’ for love…”

All this time it’s been selfishly about you looking for God, it’s been who is looking for whom when, all this time and with even more time to come…it’s really “whom is looking for who?” Stop “booing” backwards and play the real game of “Peek.” “Peek-a-boo.”

You can’t be “it” until you are caught.