Genesis 3:9 9/18/2018*

“Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?”

The first recorded question God ask of mankind is “where are you?” …and it is not because He didn’t know.

He already knows where and why we are hiding. We have been doing it since the first failure. It seems to always be our response to sin.

Our first instinct is to run and conceal ourselves from God because we are sure He will be disappointed, or angry, or both, so we hide.

But God’s response to our sin is to pay for it …in the garden He spilled blood to make clothes to cover their nakedness. On the Cross He spilled blood to cover our depravity.

Sin should make us run… but to God, not away from Him.

He is the only shelter we have… and to hide from Him is the equivalent of the sick hiding from a doctor.  It is counter-intuitive.

Determine instead to run to God with your sin. Decide to come clean with God and leave nothing hidden in your heart. The enemy would have you conceal yourself in darkness, but God would have you run into the light. There is freedom in transparency.

He has made you clean.

God has paid for what you are hiding. He as removed the burden you are carrying.  He has defeated the enemy you are fighting against.

The Cross not only covered your sin, it re-opened the Garden. 

It allows you to walk with your Father in the beauty of His creation and never hide form His presence again.  There is no need to hide when you are holy...and your holiness is permanent.

 …the war is over, you can come out now.

“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.”
- Zora Neale Hurston