Those of us who have a heart to minister and a desire to help those in need might hear time to time that the Bible is old and it no longer applies. When I think of Genesis 3:9 and imagine God asking, "Where are you?" while He's walking through the garden; I can't possibly think of his question as a need to know where Adam might be hiding; though He knew Adam was in hiding. I am one hundred percent certain that our all-knowing God didn't need a GPS system to figure out where Adam was. His question was rather an invitation for Adam to confess.
God's grace was still at work when He asked the second question, "Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”(Genesis 3:11) Again; our all-knowing God was expecting a confession. As a matter of fact; He had almost offered it himself on Adam's behalf in hopes of leading Adam to do the right thing.
But unfortunately; Adam did exactly what we all have learned to do: Not taking responsibility for a disobedience. He went so far as to blame God, somewhat indirectly, as he said, "The woman you made gave it to me."
Too many ministers have focused for so long on the fact that it was Eve's fault for succumbing to the serpent's lies and that Adam was nothing but a casualty. However; God's questions were simple and they were directed to Adam. "Where are you?" and "Have you done that which I told you not to do?" God knows every bit of our details. He simply wants us to come to him...just as we are...confess the truth...without narrating the circumstances...without pointing a finger at someone else...and doing it with a repentant heart. Isn't that the message of the Cross? Isn't this the reason why our Saviour died on the cross just so we can go before God and tell him where we are today and what we have been up to? God's mercy and grace can be activated, almost instantly, as we confess with repentant hearts.
True confession is when our soul starts changing even as we utter the words. I believe God's forgiveness is pure and doesn't keep a record of our past. He's only interested in an eternal fellowship with us that might have been interrupted at some point in life, but it's still available through his unconditional love. That eternal fellowship is not meant for heaven only. It could start now.
Blessings...
