No Need To Hide From The Presence Of The Lord

Today’s Word Of Encouragement From Wayne:

“They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to the man. and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself’”

Genesis 3:8-10

There is no need for any child of God to hide “from the presence of the Lord God” out of fear.

The apostle John wrote about our most blessed freedom from fear, because of our Lord God Jesus Christ, saying “We love, because He first loved us. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1st John 4:19, 18, 16).

So, what had happened to Adam and Eve?

Whereas the sound of God walking in the garden was once a cause of joy for them, they now hid themselves from God’s presence, because they were afraid... and they were aware of their nakedness.

We know the account concerning the serpent’s deception, convincing Eve and Adam to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But, when they did eat, the Scriptures says “then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked” (Genesis 3: 1-7).

Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil produced a self-awareness, apart from God, and the act of their eating from the forbidden tree represented Adam and Eve living independently from God their Creator. Sin entered their hearts at that time and they were, ultimately, exiled from the garden (Genesis 3:24).

Praise God that you and I have received Jesus Christ our Savior. His blood has atoned for our sin and He has, by His grace, opened up a new life for us. We were born into this world of sin, already cast out of the garden. But now, through Christ our Lord, we have been born again, to live forever with Him in His garden of life.

Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will always produce a sense of separation and independence from God, accompanied by a self-awareness, a nakedness, apart from one’s new-creation identity in God, and fear is the result.

However, you and I are invited, every day, to draw near to our God, as His “kingdom and priests” (Revelation 5:10), so we may minister to our Lord, and in His presence we are blessed to partake of Christ, Who is in truth our tree of life, our bread of life, and our daily bread.

Beloved Christian, don’t hide from God’s presence. Don’t let fear or a separate sense of self keep you away from your Lord of life and love. Instead I urge you to run to His presence so you may be blessed with an awareness of God and of your status as His cherished child. In His presence is love and healing. Apart from His presence is fear and guilt.

The tree of knowledge can only produce separation, fear, and self-centeredness. But God’s blessed tree of life, within us now in the Person of Jesus Christ, produces, oneness, love, and God-centeredness.

Walk with God in His garden of life today and let the perfect love that is our Lord, Himself, renew you, even as His Own presence casts away every thought of fear, separation, and old-self awareness. Hallelujah!