Labrynth of Hiddeness

I have been thinking about labrynths lately. This thinking has been focused on relational hiddeness for me. I really don't know what the signifcance of labrynths are in ones spiritual journey. The pictures I share here are just to get you tracking with me as I talk about how humans (I) hide in relationships, and why this is so destructive. My context is mainly in the world of men, and that is where I will focus this blog post.

The labrynth that I visualize is the one above, made from shrubs. In this labrynth see how I could hide around the corners and get lost, seeking the next turn to stay away from you. It could be a fun game to stay hidden from you, as you try desperately to find me. It's the old "hide and go seek" game I used to play with my neighborhood friends, only this time in a labrynth.

Unfortunately, I have learned that I can play that same game with relationships and I don't need a labrynth. The labrynth of hiddeness exists in me. I have crafted the labrynth out of the pain, hurt and guilt I've experienced in relationships over the years. Actually I was born into the labrynth so to speak. Here is how that happened. Take a look at what is recorded in the Bible...Genesis Chapter 3 -

¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

² The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "

⁴ "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

¹⁰ He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

Hiding was the response the first humans had after they disobeyed God and chose to be their own Gods. Adam and Eve set hiddeness in motion for the rest of us and we've been practicing it ever since...creating elaborate labrynths of hiddeness for our lives. We even deny and make excuses for our hiding, just as our ancient ancestors did in the Bible. Not much has changed over the centuries. There are more stories of hiddeness in the news every day.

The good news...there is freedom from the labrynth of hiddeness, and the cost for the freedom is free for you and me. Free for you and me, doesn't that sound good! In my next post I will share with you how I came into this freedom and am continuing to experience it in deeper ways every day. Love has everything to do with it, but that is for the next post. See you soon.