When
the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the
garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have
you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman you gave
me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” Genesis 3:8-13
(NLT)
I could be wrong, but I have a notion that had Adam
and Eve confessed their sin instead of trying to wiggle off the hook, God’s
forgiveness might have been instantaneous, and the cross would have been
unnecessary. But our first parents did
what we’re still doing – hide and evade.
It strikes me as strange that we do that. God’s whole message to us in Scripture has
been “I love you”. His whole desire and
command has been “Love me…be close to me”.
Instead of a life filled with worship, love, and deep,
loving relationship with Jesus our Redeemer, we content ourselves with building
our empires and monuments that are no grander than the Tower of Babel.
We should never be content to dabble in earthly stuff
when our Heavenly Father’s door is wide open to us. Neither should we be afraid. In my home here on earth there is no need for
laws and police. I am loved there (even
my dog likes me…..sometimes). My wife
loves and cares for me; there is nowhere on earth where I am safer, calmer, and
happier – or a place I more desire than the home with which God has blessed
me. Yet, my Heavenly Father’s home, and
His open arms are overwhelmingly better than anything I’ve ever experienced on
earth.
Most of you know I’m a bit of a “movie hound”. One of
my recent favorites is “John Adams” a TV miniseries docudrama on the struggle
for the birth of this nation, and particularly the man who would become our
second president.
Adams was a driven man who spent months away from home
very often in the service of the young country.
One scene in the movie has Adams’ wife Abigail so despondent and lonely that
she is up past midnight crying as she is cleaning windows.
Her young daughter, Nabby finds her and gently tries
to reassure her mother that they are not forgotten. Abigail is so distracted and distraught she
rebuffs her daughter and attempts to go on with her miserable night. In one of the tenderest expressions of love
and trust I’ve seen in a long time, Nabby works her way into her mother’s
embrace.[1]
For many of us the God we see in Noah’s flood,
destroying continents of people; the God who rains down fire on Sodom and
Gomorrah and promises judgment for this and punishment for that – we are a
little intimidated and afraid.
Indeed!
But our God is a loving God; the arms of God are more
open than you know.
His arms are like the arms of Abigail Adams in that
movie scene. He is waiting for each of
us to work our way into His embrace.
For you, today
Don’t be afraid…press close. Remember, it’s your heart He’s after!
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