Personal

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?' He answered, 'I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.'" -Genesis 3.7-10

Adam and Eve have disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree. For the first time they feel shame and cover themselves. For the first time they feel fear and hide. These emotions that God never created or intended for humanity to experience now drive human action, causing him to distance himself both from others, and from God. Man realizes his nakedness and covers himself, then he hears God walking in the garden and hides.

I don't believe this is the first time God waked in the garden. I feel like this was a frequent occurrence, God created man to fellowship with and worship Him; to be in relationship with Him. I believe that daily, God would meet with man, and walk among the trees of the garden in the cool of the day. There is a belief system known as Deism, which says God created the universe, He set the world in motion, but then backed off letting it function on its own. This belief system says God exits, but that He is uninvovled with the day to day happenings of earth. But this is not the image that is presented in Genesis, or the rest of the Bible.

God is personal. Look at what has happened up to this point. God spoke and created the world and everything in it, at the end of each day declaring it good. He formed man, intentionally crafting him from the dust of the ground, and then breathed into him the breath of life. God created a helper for man so that he would not be alone, and then He shows up in the cool of the day to walk with man. The Old Testament is full of accounts of God intervening on behalf of His people, and the New Testament begins with four accounts of God becoming man to walk the dusty roads of Israel, and sacrifice Himself on a cross to save humanity. How does that sound like an univovled and distant Creator?

God is personal. He created us for fellowship and intimacy with Him, and our acts of disobedience push Him away. But God is always walking in the cool of the day, calling out to us, inviting us to come and walk with Him.

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!

Peace be with you