“Then the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:9 nlt)
Over the next two weeks, we’re going to look at the lives of several Old Testament characters. And we’re going to discover that their experiences are still relevant and applicable to us today. We’re going to start at the beginning with Adam and Eve.
Adam and Eve enjoyed a unique relationship with God. Only they could say they knew Him before. That is, before they sinned and altered the course of human history. Before their wrongdoing created a gulf between God and humanity that could be bridged only by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Before their fall, however, Adam and Eve enjoyed a remarkable closeness with God. In fact, they had a standing appointment with Him. Genesis 3:8 says, “When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden” (nlt). God strolled through the paradise He created. He visited with Adam and Eve. Imagine their excitement and anticipation as they waited for God’s arrival in the evening.
One day Adam and Eve missed that appointment. They had disobeyed Him and eaten from the forbidden tree in the garden. Their shame and guilt kept them from their time with the Lord. So, God called out, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9 nlt).
I wonder if the Lord would say something similar to people today. “Where are you? I’ve been looking for you. I want to speak to you. I want you to walk with Me, and I want to walk with you.”
The Christian life is often referred to as a walk—and for good reason. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (nlt). The idea is that when two people walk together, they share a common purpose, a connection, a commitment to one another. You must keep an appointment to walk with someone.
So, when God walks with us, He’s keeping an appointment. He wants to meet with us on a regular basis. The question is: How often do we keep that appointment?
How many times each day does God make Himself available to speak to us, only to be shut out of our appointment book? Imagine Him saying, “I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time, but you’re too busy. You won’t make time for Me.You won’t open the Word. You rarely pray. And when you do, it’s one-sided. You won’t listen to Me. You have anappointment with Me. Why don’t you keep it?”
Obviously, there is no “good” answer to that question. Whatever feeble excuses we may try to offer pale in comparison to the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator of the universe who loves us, wants only the best for us, and knows exactly how we might experience that best.
Is there any appointment worth keeping more than the one with Him?
Reflection question: How can you keep a regular appointment with God?
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Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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