Rebekah Wilson 0:07
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose of the word of God. Today is Tuesday, January 24th, and this is Rebekah Wilson. I serve on the Alpha Team. Today I'll be reading Genesis chapter 3, verses 9 through 11 in preparation for the sermon on Sunday.
Rebekah Wilson 0:24
The Lord God called to Adam, "Where are you?" He replied, "I heard you, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked." "Who told you that you were naked?" The Lord God asked. "Have you eaten the fruit I commanded you not to eat?"
Rebekah Wilson 0:44
An important attribute of God that we must understand is that he's omniscient, which means, 'all knowing'. He doesn't ask a question to gain understanding. He doesn't wonder about things that he doesn't already know. He doesn't need to ask clarifying questions. Psalm 139, verses 1 and 2 says, "Oh Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down and stand up, you know my every thought when far away." So why then did God ask Adam, where he was? Why would he ask how Adam knew that he was naked? Well, the strategy of asking people questions is how we see Jesus teaching in the gospels as well. Asking questions helps us to discover for ourselves what God is wanting to teach us. Think about when you were in school; how many multiple choice tests came, went, and you completely forgot the information two weeks later after you had moved onto the next unit?
Rebekah Wilson 1:48
But what if it was a life lesson that you had to experience? Like the consequences of lying? You probably discovered for yourself that sometimes it's easier to tell the hard truth than to try to hold up a pile of lies. God asked Adam questions to help him discover what had just happened. God knew where Adam was and that he had eaten the fruit - the same is with you and me. God knows what we've done, he knows when things make us feel vulnerable or naked. He knows when we try to hide from him in our guilt and shame. But what was he doing here? He came after Adam. He talked to Adam and he ended up providing the covering for Adam and Eve's nakedness.
Rebekah Wilson 2:34
Our heavenly Father loves us and there's nothing that we've done that can separate us from that love. Let's pray. Lord God, we praise you for being all-knowing and all powerful. You alone know each thought of every person on earth and have the sovereign power to control it all. But you allow us to make our own choices even when those choices have consequences. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we knowingly disobey you. Help us to cry out to you, to not hide from you, but to return to you and seek your face. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen.