"Where are you?"

"During that day’s cool evening breeze, they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden; and the man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God in the middle of the garden’s trees. The Lord God called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?'” Genesis 3:8-9 CEB™

Lent is a time where we take a deep look into our own souls. The victory of eternal life is the payoff of Easter, but before we get there first we have to address sin. We see Adam and Eve the first two people after they have openly disobeyed God and now are living in a sinful state. They hear the footsteps of their Heavenly Daddy and assume the worst. They hide.

Let's be honest God knows where they are, and their hiding spots aren't that great, but the more interesting piece for me is the symbolism of the hiding. Before sin, Adam and Eve would walk with God in the cool of the evening. It was the equivalent of a nice family meal together. This would be the time they could laugh, and learn from God and God would display the beauty of creation for them. It was a Father and child relationship that brings tears to my eyes. Until, they sinned. Now the presence of God is terrifying, and sin has caused Adam and Eve to run into hiding believing that God is no longer good, loving, or would care for them. Maybe, as you read this you too are in a state of hiding. Have you ever said this phrase; "If I walk into the doors of a church, God will burn the building down." I know this is meant to be cute, and funny yet all I hear is; "Can God really love me, even though I know I'm not perfect." Sin is the master of deception and it causes us to believe that God cannot be good, nor loving toward us in this broken state. However, God is bigger than you and I tend to give Him credit for.

God doesn't wipe out our sinful beginning. God doesn't come as an accuser. Instead, God asked a simple and  painful question; "Where are you?" Think about the pain in God's heart as His creation now runs away from Him. Noting feels more wonderful than when a toddler comes walking up to me. Conversely, I feel like a monster whenever a little baby looks at me and runs away. How did God feel that moment He entered into the garden only to find that the people He had created were hiding from Him? God calls out, wanting them to come and be in His presence. God wants to love Adam, and Eve yet sin has convinced them that they are now unlovable. This moves us back into the question "Where are you?". It's not a question of location, but a question of relationship. God wants to love and care for Adam and Eve, we wants to walk with them again. But, there is a critical shift in the relationship. God is calling His beloved back into His presence to care for them, but they hide in shame from their Heavenly Creator. But finally  Adam and Eve sheepishly come out of hiding  and God goes to work. 

First, comes an honest inventory. Now sin is here and God is not shy to reveal the brokenness that it has caused. Life will now come with pain, relationships struggle to be balanced, and working will become a struggle. All things we know today about life. Yet, our story doesn't stop there. Even though we have revealed the curse of humanities sin, next God reveals what He will do with them. If I were God this is the point of the story where we start over. The painting can be fixed, and I would make dolphins in my image (they are adorable). Yet, that is not the heart of God, and He offers provision and life in midst of this new sinful state. God dressed the two in leather, a sacrifice in order to cover the humans. He sets them mindfully outside of the garden. This will be the heart of God forever. Painfully knowing that humans will suffer the pain of sin, yet if you listen you can hear God's voice calling out "Where are you?" "I will walk with you even in the middle of this brokenness, and I will provide a sacrifice in my perfect Son Jesus the Christ to cover your brokenness with my holiness, or wholeness." This God how calls out to us even the midst of sin is drastically different than what sin would have us believe. Instead of destruction, there comes provision, and salvation. Lent must deal with sin, and it must be dealt with in death. But, if we listen to easter we see that even though sin always ends in death, when we come to calling voice of God death becomes life. So, are you still scared to darken the doorway of a church, because God is calling to you. "Where are you?"Selah

Richard 

focusonthecross.org