| Genesis 3: 9 “Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
Does an hour ever pass without someone asking you a question? (Well, not this hour since I just asked one.) Questions are part of life. Research estimates mothers ask on average 300 questions a day. However, four-year-old girls top the chart with an average of 390 daily! (www.telegraph.co.uk) So, high-fives to all you mothers of four-year-old girls!
Questions are a necessary means of receiving information. But stop to consider this; If questions were solely for gathering data, God’s vocabulary would have no need of question marks because God is omniscient. He already has all the answers. But interestingly, the second recorded question in the history of the world came from God.
In Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve’s sin led them to hide, God asked, “Where are you?” This question was not intended to gain information. Remember God knew the answer.
When my boys were small, I left them unattended for mere minutes. (Rookie mistake!) The deafening silence led me on a search where I discovered two little boys cowering behind the door along with the biggest mess my house has ever beheld (except for the squirrel rampage, but that’s a story for a different time). Having found two full containers of baby powder, they had blanketed themselves and the entire room in white. The first words out of my mouth were, “What have you done?”
Now, let’s be clear – it was very evident what they had done. I did not need that information. I needed two little boys to stop and realize the seriousness of their actions.
In the same way, that God-question from long ago, “Where are you?” required Adam and Eve to stop and recognize their sin. But more importantly, that single question revealed the very nature of God. Yes, Adam and Eve had sinned. Yes, it would separate them from a very intimate relationship with the Father. And no, their life would never be the same. However, despite it all, God offered precious redemption, even revealing His plan to send the Savior.
So, what do we learn from this encounter? God desires us to lean into forgiveness. If circumstances leave us humiliated and angry, God beckons our hearts to flow with goodness. When we feel disrespected, we are called to respond with kindness. Friend, scripture reveals a loving Father who covers us in mercy and welcomes us back into a sweet relationship with Him. So, one final question for us all; How do our lives reflect God’s marvelous mercy?
Father God, we stand in awe of the loving mercy you show us when we fail.
Blessings,
Rita Cochrane |