Adam and Eve's first response after the shock of disobeying God was to disconnect, run, and hide in shame. God's first response was to seek them out, put warm clothes on them, and get them out of the Garden, saving them from an eternity of sin--literally Hell on Earth. Likewise, a child's first response following disobedience is often to disconnect, run, and hide in shame. Many children even go through a phase of lying. Daddy sees the child take a cookie without asking. The child denies he took the cookie. After a little finagling, Daddy pulls the cookie from his son's pocket. This example is similar to Adam and Eve's responses to God when he confronted them about taking the fruit. Eve says, "The Serpent made me do it." Adam says, "This woman you put here gave it to me." Everyone's pointing fingers. Eve at the Serpent... Adam at Eve...
Do you ever feel like you're running from God, trying to hide? Feeling shameful? Or, maybe it is a little more sophisticated, like Adam and Eve who started pointing fingers? I have one thing to say to you: You don't have to hide or lie anymore. God loves you for no reason at all, simply because He wants to. Romans 5:8 says that, "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." No need to run, hide, or lie. Most often we do these things because of our own self-condemnation.
God, however, is not constrained by our self-condemnation. In 1st John 3:20 it says, "For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything." Why does God love you? Simply because He wants to. And where did this love take Him? To the cross. Believe this and eternal life starts today!
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