Where Are You?

Last Sunday we continued our new message series, Questions God Asks Us. In week one, we explored the three reasons God asks us questions: (1) to be in relationship with us on God's terms; (2) to give us dignity in the relationship by allowing us to hear and be heard; and (3) to make us like Jesus. In continuing our series, we looked at the question found in Genesis 3:9, "Where are you?"

This question was asked by God of Adam and Eve at the Fall. After eating from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve's eyes were opened and they realized they were naked, causing them to make clothes out of fig leaves and go into hiding. God, of course, knew right where they were, but looking at our three reasons, He asked the question to remain relational (even though their sin created a schism); give them dignity by allowing them to answer (like a parent who asks a child what he/she did, even knowing what the answer should be); and to focus back on God's character of honesty to truly make them more like Him (not as the way they were tempted by Satan). 

I think it is interesting to look at the idea that Adam and Eve felt naked. I think this means they felt exposed. We know how this can feel, don't we? Being exposed causes us to feel vulnerable, so we run into hiding. These days we don't do too much sewing of fig leaves, but we certainly know how to hide...perhaps we hide in our jobs, relationships, technology, entertainment, video games, and other forms of escape. Often the things in which we hide are positive and can be quite meaningful, but when we use them to hide from God or others, then we distort their purpose and continue in the schism created by Adam and Eve.

There is good news, though, and that is we have a God who pursues us! Like the Lord walking through the garden to hunt for Adam and Eve essentially saying, "come out, come out, wherever you are...", God speaks into our lives and nudges us to come out of hiding and enter into the relationship for which we were created. Sure, this can make us feel vulnerable when we have to face the questions we don't want to answer, but our relational God, who wants to give us dignity in the relationship so we can be more like Him, wants the most out of us and for us. 

So like God walking through to the Garden of Eden on that fateful day, I ask you the same question, "Where are you?" Are you hiding from God or someone else? Are you pouring your life into good things in a way that distorts purpose? Are you being called out of hiding to face life's vulnerabilities? Come out of hiding and receive the offer of relationship that is being offered to you...the very same relationship for which you were created in the first place!

I hope you will come and join us on Sunday as we continue our series exploring God's question to Cain after Abel's murder: "Where is your brother?" (Genesis 4:9) This week's message will help us consider touchy subjects like forgiveness and reconciliation. Hope to see you then!