The Fallen and the Redeemed - jan. 2

Genesis 3,4 & Luke 2

Genesis 3:8,9 ...the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"

Luke 2:30,31 ...my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples...

It is not certain how long Adam and Eve enjoyed walking in the presence of the Father unhindered by the pollution of sin before the fall. But quickly death claimed its victim once sin had entered. Murder, adultery, and idolatry increasingly mar the pages of scriptures as mankind descends into darkness.

It is however, interesting that it was man that decided to hide his face from God. It was man that chose the darkness to escape from the light. The light revealed that he was naked, exposed, and deficient. He sought out for his own redemption but in doing so only further degraded his condition. Imperfections cannot be hidden, for they will still exist beneath the covering. The only remedy is for the imperfection to be removed completely. But alas, man had been damaged and there was as yet no prescription for his condition.

I am so thankful that God didn't abandon His creation at this juncture, for had He, man would have surely destroyed himself and his eternal condition would have been beyond recovery. No sooner does man seek to hide himself, then the Father comes to seek after His disobedient children.

God reveals to man the consequences of his failure, and is always the case, it is doubtful that Adam and Eve even began to comprehend the tragedies that awaited them and their descendants. However, with the discipline came the promise of redemption. Our Father never attempts to hide the reality of agony in our human existence rather He assures us that it will come. But through the pain He assures us that there is hope. That He, Himself will provide the antidote for our condition.

And so it was from Adam to Noah, and to Abraham and patriarchs, and through David and his descendants that mankind waited for redemption, one generation after another toiling in the dust and waiting. Waiting until one day in Jerusalem, an old man lifted up a baby in the temple and declared to the world that God's salvation had arrived.

Today, sin will still keep us from the presence of God. When we allow ourselves to led away by our pride and lusts, we find that we will quite naturally hide our faces from the light as well. Our Father, however, will not abandon us. He is so faithful to come after us, seeking us in the dark places, and inviting us to return to the light through the way that He has purchased for us.

Father,
May I be swift to turn from darkness. May I not attempt to hide from Your presence, for in You is light and life. Thank you that You are forever faithful, though I am not.