--HIDING FROM GOD ~~

--"The LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" -[Genesis 3:9] -

--I squeezed my eyes shut and started counting aloud. My fellow third-grade classmates tore out of the room to find a place to hide. After scouring every cabinet, trunk, and closet for what felt like hours, I still couldn't find one of my friends I felt ridiculous when she finally jumped out from behind a lacey, potted fern hanging from the ceiling. Only her head had been eclipsed by the plant--the rest of her body had been in plain sight the entire time!

Since God is all-knowing, when Adam and Eve "hid [Him] from Him " (Genesis 3:8) in the garden of Eden, they were always in "plain sight." But they weren't playing any childhood game; they were experiencing the sudden awareness--and shame of their wrong doing, having eaten from the tree God told them not to eat from.

Adam and Eve turned from God and His loving provision when they disobeyed His instructions Instead of with drawing from them in anger, however, He sought them out, asking, "Where are you?" (v.9) It's not that He didn't know where they were, but He wanted them to know his compassionate concern for them.

I couldn't see my friend hiding, but God always sees us and knows us--to Him we're always in plain sight. Just as He pursued Adam and Eve, Jesus sought us out while we were "still sinners" --dying on the cross to demonstrate his love for us (Romans 5:8). We no long need to hide. He is with us always, and reaches out to us to come to Him. ~~

--"Father GOD, thank You for demonstrating Your love and care for me despite the ways I wrong You. Thank you, Lord, that you will never leave me nor forsake me, in Jesus Name."

--ODB/EH