“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8
The serpent slithered near Eve and spoke the first lie – the same lie that still whispers to our hearts: “Did God really say?” It was just one seed of deceit, but one that was sown deep into every human heart across the ages. Just like Adam and Eve, our flesh can respond with running; not to our glorious Savior, but from Him.
On a typical morning, I pour a cup of coffee, sit in the same chair and grab my Bible. For me, the practice of being an early riser is never as lovely as the thought of it. The discipline of starting my day with my Bible and prayer is not easy, but neither is trying to run the faith race on the fumes of self-reliance. Starting my day with the Lord allows me to orient my heart to who He is, to humble myself and to seek His desires for the day before I naturally seek my own.
One morning a few months back, I woke with a great heaviness in my heart and racing thoughts in my mind. Staying in my bed sounded exquisite; the work of addressing the disobedience in a thought not taken captive, didn’t. I wanted to hide away under the warm covers and sleep instead of facing Him. Just like Eve, choosing to believe anything contradictory to God’s Word leaves me hiding in sin.
On every page of Scripture – from Genesis to Revelation – Christ’s light obliterates the darkness of my excuses and sin. Like a loving father, He calls me into His embrace and offers forgiveness.
“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.” John 12:46
Unlike some moments in my life, by the grace of God, I did not listen to my feelings that morning; I got out of bed, sat in my chair and grabbed my Bible. On the pages of the living Word, I was again reminded that I cannot run to Jesus without discovering the knee-buckling, world-changing, heart-transforming truth that it is Jesus who is always running first to me. Jesus was, is, and will always be the answer to everything I seek.
That morning as I humbled myself and confessed what I was holding onto, the heaviness caused by my disobedience lifted and transformed into joy. Joy because my Father loves me enough to correct me. Joy because I can come into His presence and find forgiveness. Joy because he responds to my call with abounding love. Joy because He shows me my sin but never waves a banner of shame over me. Rather, He waves the triumphant banner of freedom He won at Calvary.
Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience for you and for me. He was our substitute. We deserved the punishment He took. He could have gotten off that cross, but He stayed for our sake. He could have sinned with His mouth against those who ridiculed Him and spoke lies against Him, yet He chose not to for our sake. Jesus rose from the dead providing justification, for our sake. God stepped into our messy world to save us and set us free. He didn’t stay at a distance waiting for us to clean ourselves up; He came down. God loves you and me as much as He loves His son. It is imperative we rehearse these gospel truths daily. If we doubt His care, we will hide in counterfeit refuge and sin. In light of this, every day we must ask ourselves the question, “Whom will I serve?”
“I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” Romans 6:19
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
I may not have been hiding behind trees in the garden of Eden, but I was hiding my heart. I sought the refuge of my own thoughts instead of running to my true place of safety! Have you, like me, done any of these: when you feel the sting of disappointment, do you run to Him or hide behind your thoughts, your plans, your phone or “your person”? When you need comfort, does food or something else fill up the place He is waiting to fill with Himself? When you feel lost, do you rely on your own wisdom or ask for His? Do distractions, goals and mile-long to-do lists keep you from seeking Him?
We can choose obedience to His truth or we can choose sin. By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who broke the power of sin for you and for me, we are free! As Christian women, we have a choice and we have a helper, the Holy Spirit, who allows us to live through Christ’s power as we depend on Him and reckon ourselves dead to sin.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:26
We aren’t strong enough to defeat sin, but the Spirit in us is. We must keep our eyes fixed on the all-surpassing beauty, the infinite kindness and goodness, perfect justice and complete holiness of our Savior. The Bible reveals the magnificence of who He is and draws us out from the darkness of hiding in sin and into the glorious light of His truth. If we run anywhere, by God’s grace, may it be there.
“…let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12:1-3