Great Verses For Our Application #1 - Genesis 3:8
09/16/2010 12:05
After the first couple allowed themselves to be deceived by the serpent, resulting in not only the introduction of sin in their lives but also the passing on of sin to all humanity, we come to Genesis 3:8, "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." Up to this point Adam and Eve have sinned through their disobedience and have attempted to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. Fig leaves of course could never adequately cover the exposed skin of the first couple. In verse eight, we find Adam and Eve in a second awkward situation when it came to their sin - the presence of God! Not only had they disobeyed God and inadequately dealt with their new found nakedness, but now they had to somehow deal with God. What a wonderful scene we see in the midst of man's sin - God's desire for reconciliation. God knew they had sinned and yet He came looking for them. They chose to believe the lies of the serpent over the words of God and yet the Lord still chose to seek after them. Despite the attempts of camouflage by the first couple, God still undertook a "search and reconcile" mission. The voice of the Lord was heard walking in the cool of the day after the first couple who were running away in the heat of their sin. With God approaching, Adam and Eve did something else that many are still trying to do today when faced with sin and the presence of God - "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."
What made Adam and his wife think they could blend in with the trees? They certainly didn't look like trees and yet they thought that to be a suitable hiding place from God. Although God knew where they were, He still called out for them in verse nine.
Several applications stand out in this text. When we fall into sin, it is never right to try and cover that sin and then hide from God. As much as we would like to think that we look like trees when hiding from God, we do not. The Christian should never attempt camouflaging sin by trying to "blend in" with the trees of the world. God knows where we are and can tell the difference between His children and the trees of worldliness. When in sin, God will come calling into the forest of sin to lead us back into "the cool of the day" - sweet fellowship with Him. As with the first couple, we must respond to God's "search and reconcile mission" by leaving the forest of sin, shedding the bark and leaves of camouflage and joining once again with God for a pleasurable stroll in the "cool of the day". While we are not trees, let us be comparable in one way - producing fruit. If you're going to venture into the forest of the world, do so as a tree that produces fruit for the glory of God, rather than trying to "blend in" as a tree in an attempt to run and hide from God. We may forget God while we are losing our wrestling match with sin and temptation but rest assured God hasn't forgotten about us; and His first desire is to get rid of the flimsy fig leaves, bark and leaves that only serve as a camouflage for our sin. Before you sin and run from God into the forest of the world, take some time to remember the Lamb that gave His life to properly clothe us with His righteousness.
What will you choose today? The choice is clear - sweet fellowship with God and wonderful strolls in the cool of the day, or life as a tree, on the run and in the dark canopies of the forest of worldliness.
Striving for the Saviour,
Pastor George Yurick