I was listening to an audio reading of Genesis while I was folding clothes this morning. The children were playing together while the littlest napped, permitting me full attention to give to the listening amid the monotony of laundry.
And it hit my ears.
“Who told you that you were naked?” The narrator read with a tinge of desperation in his voice.
And through those words God reminded my heart of his desperation for mankind.
Sermons can and have been written on God’s compassion, willing Adam and Eve to confess their forbidden fruit sin. The Omniscient God did not need them to verbalize their sin. He already knew the question’s answer. But He gave them the opportunity to feel the relief of confession. The relief of releasing some of the guilt. Not adding salt to the wound by telling the truth.
But in that voice lies a deeper level. A deeper heartbreak chosen to be shouldered by the Ever-Loving Father. The disaster of the fall’s consequences had begun. And even though I wasn’t there, I think this audio Bible’s narrator got the tone just perfect. His desperation. His heartbreak for the newly lost mankind looking back at Him through the eyes of Adam and Eve. Never again to frolic in the garden together. Never again to share in closeness as before.
No, God doesn’t need us, dear friends. But here in His voice in This Genesis verse His heart pours out. He wants us.
Thank you, Lord, for still wanting us… even in the heat of our rebellion.
“Blessed” somehow fails to describe the depth of Your gift of adoption.
– Please, Lord, keep teaching my heart to listen to Your Voice.
(Big sigh) yeah, sis, yeah. Good word you brought here. He is profoundly more good and loving than we realize. Seriously.