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Here in northern Michigan, we are entering into the season of camouflage. If you have lived here for any amount of time, you know the exact phenomena that I am referring to. The fall months bring increased sightings of hunters clad in the classic forest green, dark brown and black leafy patterned garb while pushing overflowing grocery carts around local stores.
Welcome to our hunters! I support hunting and am not in any way disparaging the importance of this sport or belittling the practical and necessary camouflage attire.
Camouflage was first used in the military in the mid-18th century when British rifle units begin wearing green, dark colored uniforms instead of their bright red or blue ones. The obvious reason for this strategic change was that they might stay hidden during military conflicts.
Over the years the use of military camouflage became recognized as vital in helping troops blend into their surroundings and stay out of sight. The patterns and uniform designs have evolved over time, but the key underlying purpose of protection from detection has remained.
Interestingly, "Camo Chic" is a current fashion trend in the UK with reports that camo is a "headline runway trend, a retail bestseller, and a cultural moment, with both high-street accessibility and celebrity endorsement driving its visibility". A popular UK culture and lifestyle creator who is familiar with Michigan's appropriate use of camouflage hunting attire went viral for his commentary on how hilarious he finds the UK's fashion trend.
However, whether a person wears camo to keep up with the latest fashion, or while in the woods hunting, or serving in the military, it is clear that its true purpose is to disguise, conceal and hide.
There are many other ways that humans employ the art of camouflage without fully recognizing the practice or, more importantly, why we do it.
In my early adult life, I was good at wearing a "mask" in order to fit in. I had become skilled at hiding my true self due to fear of rejection and to avoid conflict, among other things. Slowly, God's love began to soak into my heart and break the power of the false garments I had put on in an unconscious attempt to hid who I really was.
Truths from the Bible, such as Psalm 139:13-18, where God proclaims the reality of His living presence in an individual's life and the assurance that we are not unknown or hidden to Him, began to unravel my camouflage.
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were
written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand."
We are not hidden from God no matter how hard we try to camouflage ourselves.
There is a supernatural realm that we cannot see with our natural eyes and it is very real. Jesus often referred to it as the Kingdom of God - His realm of purity, goodness and holiness.
In Matthew 13:44, God speaks of His kingdom being like a concealed treasure that is to be discovered. "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."
God not only knows us, he wants us to find him!
"This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it--the Lord is his name: 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' " Jeremiah 33:2-3
He invites us to call upon him for guidance and wisdom - that we might find answers and learn truth.
The Apostle Paul wrote of his goal that we be "be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3
The true treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus for us to discover and experience.
"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone." Psalm 32:5
God invites us to remove our camouflage and be real!
Jesus said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life," John 8:12.
He also said, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness," John 12:46.
God invites us to come out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. When we invite Jesus into our lives the spiritual light of God begins to illuminate our innermost being and overcomes our hidden spiritual darkness.
We do not need to hide.