Easter Eggs

I Chronicles 16:10-11 -- "Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always."

Easter Sunday often finds us watching children roam the back yard or neighborhood park as they put every effort in to seeking hidden treasures and brightly painted boiled eggs. In their eyes you can see the twinkle of excitement as they find a hidden prize and tuck it snugly into their baskets. Girls in pretty dresses with frilly socks and boys in little ties and pressed slacks - there is something to be said for the pastel colors and formal Sunday best. And there is much to be said for the joy and laughter heard in the reward of a great find hidden in the flowers or under the fallen pine straw.

These kids, our precious little ones, will not stop hunting until every single hidey spot has been double checked. No stone goes unturned and no hedge goes unruffled. Bright smiles are offered up to those of us who hide these Easter treasures. Sometimes smeared in chocolate or dusted with sugary Peep powder, these smiles make the egg hunt after Sunday Services so very sweet, indeed.

Long after we, the dutiful hiding parents are ready to sit down in the shade and prop up our tired feet, the little egg hunters will still seek. In fact, they are loath to believe it when we explain to them that all of the treasures have been found.

You and I could learn a thing or two from these tenacious little seekers. They are determined. They are primed. They are diligent!

In the first book of Chronicles we are told to ALWAYS seek the strength and face of God. ALWAYS! If we really took these words to heart I think we would find ourselves surprised by the wonderful treasures the Lord leaves for us. Under the thick and shadowed foliage of our day to day, in the shadows and yes, sometimes even in the dark, the Lord leaves us treasures. We don't see them, sometimes, because we don't look for them.

Recently at a beach condo on the wonderful shores of Palm Coast, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit with friends and family - and found ourselves perched on a balcony that overlooked the ocean. I wasn't feeling well and was bummed that I couldn't play in the pool or tickle my toes in the waves of the beach. I had my head down, with all of my focus on my own perceived misery. My husband, however, had his eyes set deeply on the waves hitting the shore below us. Where I saw a wasted trip, he saw a whale slapping the water. First it's head breached the surface, and then the tale slapped down into the surf leaving foamy spray billowing outward into the waves.

I only caught the tale as it dipped into the water. But - I wasn't looking for the treasure in our seaside moment. I wasn't looking for joy and adventure. I wasn't looking at anything but the tiled floor counting the seconds until I knew we would have to head back home because of my illness.

My husband? He seeks the silver lining. Had we been at the beach with our toes in the sand, we wouldn't have been able to see the whale. Had we been in the pool, we couldn't have even seen the beach beyond the dunes. Up on the balcony, however, was the perfect spot to catch one of God's amazing creatures playing in the waves.

Perhaps we should REALLY always seek. ALWAYS seek the strength and the face of God. His amazing treasures are everywhere, were we but to look for them.