Jeremiah 24:7 “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.”
Adam and Eve were God’s people and He was their God. After Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were overwhelmed with shame. They did what we all do after we get caught with our hands in the cookie jar. We hide, point fingers, and often times, do not take responsibility for our actions. Adam blamed Eve; Eve blamed the devil. Their shame made Adam and Eve play hide and seek in the bushes. Someone told them they were naked because God asked them, “Who told you, you were naked? “ My guess is Satan stood before them with that evil smirk on his face. He listed all the reasons God didn’t love them anymore and they were not worthy of His love. There they stood in all their nakedness shamed and destroyed. Lisa Terkeurst wrote that after the fall, they had to carry the weight of evil that they were never meant to carry. The fruit that seemed so sweet didn’t satisfy them; instead, it burdened them with fear, anxiety and shame.
Our God is a merciful God. He went looking for them and He called to them, “Where are you?” I was always confused by this question because He knew exactly where they were. I wonder how God felt as He watched these two, who He loved so much, hide from Him. Did they forget the many hours they spent walking in the garden, the many conversations they shared? Their shame made them withdraw from the One who could help them. He was waiting for them with open arms to comfort them. Satan’s lies of nakedness hid the truth of God’s Word that nothing, not death or life, angels or demons, not even the powers of hell, will separate us from God.
Because of their nakedness they had to cover their bodies. Can’t you see God looking at them and His heart breaking? I can imagine God searching the garden for the best fig tree He could find. Scripture does not say if they cut the leaves from the tree, but I can imagine in His mercy, He cut and gathered the leaves for them. Then He placed them neatly on the ground where He knew Adam and Eve would find them. God saw their brokenness even before they knew they were broken. He knew what they needed to cover their nakedness. Even in our darkest times, when we feel unworthy, God will give us what we need and love us even if we are uncovered in all our mess.
Lord, when we play hide and seek with You, You release us of our shame by calling, Olly Olly oxen free, free, free.
– Michele
