Where Are You?

“But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”—Genesis

The One who knows all and sees all asks the question: “Where are you?” God placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden, in a perfect life. They had unbroken fellowship with Him and His creation as long as they did not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They wanted what they could not have—the forbidden fruit. They were lured by the prospect of having all knowledge. Shame and blame have now entered the world. Now realizing he was naked, he hid. The man answered God’s question with blame. The man blamed God for putting the woman in the garden to tempt him. The woman blamed the serpent for making her eat it.

Beyond this question in the garden: The “Where are you?” is the question at the center of the cross. We were meant to live forever. Without a plan, the sin in the garden banished us from perfect harmony with God. We were meant to have unbroken fellowship but that was shattered by the desire to do what was forbidden. However, the Where are you? Prompts the Here I AM to come to our rescue. God needed a plan and Jesus is the answer to our plight.

Even though there are consequences for disobedience God still has a plan to restore that which was lost. We can answer: “Here I am, I am yours.” Then we can have unbroken fellowship with Him.

Come boldly and answer the “Where are you” with the “Here I am, Lord.” Take me, cleanse me, and restore me—in Your name, Amen.

​Chris Cooke