Has it ever hit you how calm God was in Genesis when He called out to Adam after he had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? God could've called out to Adam in anger and frustration but here He is right after man has handed dominion of this world over to satan and His tone appears to be gracious and peaceful.
When we slip up, we many times feel God is going to call us out on our mess to fuss us out, put us on blast and judge us harshly. However, though He does call us out, He doesn’t do so to bring about shame. He calls us out to show Grace. He beckons us with mercy. He comes to us with Love. That's so beautiful.
God knew what Adam would do when He first formed him. He wasn’t caught off guard or surprised by Adam’s mistake. The same goes for us and our mistakes. God must give every one of us a choice between good and evil, for there must be a decision on our part to choose God, to choose to do what is right. If we didn’t have the freedom to make decisions, we wouldn’t have free will. But because we are all in flesh, we have a sinful nature that just won’t allow us to be perfect. We have all fallen short (Romans 3:23). We have all made poor decisions. We have all turned to the right and to the left (Isaiah 53:6)...But God already knew we would before He formed us. Our mistakes haven’t changed how He loves us nor do they cause Him to want to throw us away.
“Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”” Genesis 3:9 NLT
God could've demanded for Adam to "come here!" But He instead asked, “where are you?”.
"Where are you?" implies that you'll come to meet the person where they are. You give them the choice to reveal themselves, make themselves vulnerable and then you make the conscious decision out of love to meet them right where they find themselves stuck in shame/guilt/depression/regret.
God called out to see where Adam was so that He could meet him in his place of guilt and shame. He allowed Adam to offer the invitation and then God, his Creator, his Father, was on His way.
As a Just and Loving Father, God had to discipline His children (Proverbs 3:12 & Hebrews 12:5-6) to teach them BUT with the punishment- the curse- He also sent the Solution- salvation through Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:14-19).
This is the beauty of the Gospel. Not man trying to find and reach God, but God calling out and coming to man. I love it! It’s not about trying hard enough to get right but about receiving Christ into our hearts, minds, lives and allowing Him to make us right with God!
““You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 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?”” Genesis 3:4-9 NLT
Whenever we fall short, that is not a time to allow our shame to make us hide from God. That’s been the tactic of the enemy (satan) since the beginning- to separate us from God.
“God does not overlook sin, but He can be gently firm in confronting it.”
When we see Christ in the Word confront someone about their sins and/or what was keeping them from inheriting the Kingdom of God, He did it from a place of compassion not condemnation (Mark 10:21). It was never to make the person feel helpless and hopeless but to show them that He was here to help and that in Him only is their hope for a better life.
God calls out our sins for our benefit. He does so that we may address them, confess them and be freed from them. It’s never about condemnation but about salvation, all for the glory of God. Be reconciled. Be released from your past.
God took the initiative in reconciling the relationship between creation (mankind) and Creator (God). No man seeks God (Romans 3:10-11) but the great news is that God has already done the work of seeking man (Ezekiel 34:11 & Luke 19:10). God brought about our reconciliation through His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18). He sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world but to die and raise again to save us all from our sins (John 3:16-18). Isn't that amazing? We are the ones who messed up and made mistakes but God is the one Who sought after us and sent the Solution, the Sacrifice, the Savior, the Way to salvation. God does not wish that any should perish. Any who call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved [reconciled to God] (Acts 2:21 & Romans 10:13). Cry out to Him. He is calling out to you. Allow Him to meet you where you are.
There is no actual “prayer of salvation” in the Word. When people decided to follow Christ, they simply believed AND THEN took up their daily cross to follow Christ. However, the prayer below is a great way of inviting Christ into your heart and beginning the process of following Him, if you’re unsure of just what to say.
This daily cross can be different things for different people. For some it may mean leaving behind old friends and relationships. For others it could be refusing to go to old places they used to go. But for all of us, the cross is daily dying to our flesh and following Christ. It won’t be easy but it’s so worth it!
“It’s not about what we give up but Who we gain.” - David Platt
Prayer:
Thank You, Father, for how You call me out with grace and mercy, not guilt and shame. Thank You that though I’ve fallen short, You already had a plan for my redemption. I refuse to willingly separate myself from You. I refuse to hide any longer. I receive Your Son and the free gift of salvation. I know that this is a gift for I could never earn it. Thank You, Jesus for living a life I could never live, carrying a cross I could never carry and bearing a wrath I could never have endured. To show my gratitude, I will pick up my daily cross of sacrifice and obedience to follow You all the days of my life. I know that it won’t be easy, but with You, it will always be possible. So Lord, come into my heart. “Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”(Psalms 51:2-3, 7 NLT)
In Your precious Name I pray, Jesus, amen!
The Creator of the everything is rejoicing with the angels in Heaven over you (Luke 15:10)! Welcome to the fam!
“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:1-5, 8-9 NLT
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!”” Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT
Side story:
I was shopping in Publix the last Sunday in February after church. Of course I had to make my way to the free sample tables but what I didn’t realize was that that was a God ordained moment.
The lady at one of the tables asked me if I had been to church that morning and I replied with a yes. She began to tell me about how she had really fallen off with God and with praying but that she had recently bought a new prayer journal and was starting back talking to God and recording her prayers. She shared with me how one of the things she loves about God is that you can always come back to Him. We sometimes fall, get off track or become distracted but we can always run back to Him. She continued to express how she enjoys recording her prayers because she likes seeing how God answers them. She said many times we pray so much and neglect to thank God or fail to even realize that He has answered prayers we prayed long ago.
This 3 minute convo over a sample size of chicken really blessed me. Ms. Holly at Publix didn’t know me from a package of produce but her moment of transparency truly blessed me and I know it blessed many others if she chose to share it with them as well. This is the simple, humble, loving truth about our Lord. His love is unconditional and is always welcoming. This love calls out to us.
He knew before He even created each and every one of us that we would fall short, stumble, get off track, etc. which is the very reason why He died and rose again for us. If you’ve lost your way or have never even heard of/found the Way, don’t hesitate or wait another moment to run to Him. Don’t think twice about accepting His unconditional love, healing power, and life changing salvation. He loves you. He doesn’t need you BUT He wants you. Come.
What other god besides the True and Living God, Jesus Christ, would come to an undeserving people to give them exactly what they don’t deserve?
Who wouldn’t want to serve that God?!
He’s calling you to freedom! (Galatians 5:8)
Invite Him in today. Choose to follow Him today and everyday for eternity.🙏🏽♥️
“...I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 HCSB “GOD told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again...’”” Jeremiah 31:3 MSG