Where Are You? By Sharon Musgrove #devotional

 

Where Are You?

By Sharon Musgrove

 

Playing hide-and-seek with a toddler makes me laugh because of the innocence and lack of self-awareness. Crouching behind a chair or a houseplant, yet still in plain sight, the little one believes that because he cannot see me, he is invisible.

Developing spiritually can look like an ongoing game of hide-and-seek with God. In sin, we, His children, sneak off, finding progressively dark places to hide and hope to “win” by going unfound. But finding better places to mask our behavior is the opposite of winning.  And hiding from an ever-present, all-knowing Lord is like hiding behind translucent window sheers, He always sees us full well.

When Adam and Eve were attempting to conceal themselves in greenery after they sinned, God asked them questions.  He did this to get them to think about the situation from a wiser perspective. In His questions, God gives opportunity for personal growth... if we are willing to answer Him honestly.

The Lord asked, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9), meeting His children at their level of development. Like a parent seeing little feet sticking out from under the bed, our Spiritual Father knows where we are at all times.  Yet in His wisdom, God simply turns the light on so that we can see where our relationship with Him stands.  And His preference is we answer Him honestly of how we got there.

“I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10 ESV

Adam replied initially with vulnerability that he was afraid of God. Answering truthfully was his first step out of hiding.

Repentance begins with taking ownership of what we think, what we feel, and what we do.  When we honestly splay ourselves before our Maker, we open ourselves up for corrective reconciliation. It is here that I was afraid, has the chance to become I trust you, Lord.

Spiritual maturity is the process of rebuilding a trusting heart toward our Heavenly Father and putting feelings of shame to death.  So, when we find ourselves in a dark corner of life or wanting to remain hidden under the covers, this poignant question Where are you? can help us take an initial step out of that depressive place.

God’s Word shares with us a loving response to His sinful children.

“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21 ESV

God’s answer to a knowingly naked couple was to cover them.

Additionlly, we also find in scripture that it was ALWAYS God’s intent to cover His children.  The Living Bible translation puts it clearly....

“God chose him [Jesus] for this purpose long before the world began, but only recently was he brought into public view, in these last days, as a blessing to you. Because of this, your trust can be in God who raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. Now your faith and hope can rest in him alone.” 1Peter 1:20-21 TLB

Long before the creation of the world, God knew He would be covering His people’s sins. Jesus as Savior was never Plan B, but rather the original plan. The Genesis story...and the Revelation story conclude with the blessing of our being covered by God.

The question then becomes – Will we trust Him?

Friends, no matter where you are in your spiritual walk today, you need not be hiding from God, nor fearful of His rejection of you. Hear His voice.  Know that He is calling out to you something like, “Olly Olly Oxen Free!” which means all who are out may come in penalty free. Will you come forth and trust the Lord?

Author Bio:

 

Sharon has been writing and teaching biblically based curriculum, Bible studies, and devotionals since 2007.    

 

She has had the unique position of writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to speak in Leadership camps intended on encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young women.

 

Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

 

Sharon and her husband, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. 

 

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is working towards a degree in Ministry. 

 

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Connect with Sharon:

Website: Sharonmusgrove.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/