The God-Question
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, definitely not this hour, because I just asked you a question.) Questions are part of life. Did you know that research estimates mothers ask on average 300 questions a day? However, four-year-old girls top the question chart with an average 390 questions in a day’s time! So, high-fives to all you mothers of four-year-old girls! (www.telegraph.co.uk) The fact is, questions come and go all day long because they are our necessary means of receiving information.
But, if receiving information were the only purpose of questions, God’s vocabulary would have no need of question marks, because God already knows all the answers. However, interestingly, the second recorded question ever asked in the history of the world came from God. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve, because of the shame of their sin, tried to hide from God, and God asked them, “Where are you?” Now, remember, God already knew the answer. So, His question was not intended to gain information. His question had a totally different purpose.
When my boys were small, I left them unattended for only a few minutes. (I know, rookie mistake!) Soon realizing that my house was filled with a rare and deafening silence, I began my search. I called out the exact same question, “Where are you?” and found my boys hiding in guilt, just like Adam and Eve. Nearby was the biggest mess in my house that I can recall to this day. (Except for the squirrel rampage, but that’s a story for a different time.) It seems that upon finding two full containers of baby powder, my boys had covered an entire room in a blanket of white. The first words out of my mouth were, “What have you done?” Now, it was very evident what they had done. I didn’t need that information. I needed two little guilty boys to stop and think about their actions.
It was the same with the first family. The God-question, “Where are you?” required Adam and Eve to stop and reflect on their actions and the mess their actions caused. God used the question, “Where are you?” to help Adam and Eve realize their sin.
The beauty of this God-question is that it demonstrates the very nature of God: Loving forgiveness. Yes, Adam and Eve had sinned. Yes, there would be ramifications that would separate them from their intimate relationship with the Father. But, God did not exhibit wrathful revenge, but consequences. In fact, it was at this very point that God revealed His plan for sending the Savior. A Savior who would bring, not only Adam and Eve, but all of us, back into a loving and intimate relationship with Him each time sin separates us.
Father God, we are in awe of the loving mercy you show us when we fail. Help us remember that our sin separates us from an intimate relationship with you. We are grateful beyond words for the gift of your son and the unimaginable sacrifice on our behalf.
Blessings,
Rita
Below are scriptures of our sin that separates us from God and of God’s redemption of us. Search for additional scriptures that will aid you in your quest for a pure and godly life.
In Romans 3:23 we fall and in Ephesians 1:7 we are redeemed
In Isaiah 53:6 we fall and in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we are redeemed
In Romans 6:23 we fall and are redeemed
In Colossians 1:13-14 we are redeemed