“But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”” – Genesis 3.9
Even in the worst of times, God comes to us. When we rebelled against Him in the simplest thing: “don’t eat that!” He still comes, promises, and clothes. In the Garden, God did three things to show His compassion on the rebels in Genesis 3. * He came to the sinners, Adam and Eve, not waiting for them to rush to Him. “Where are you?” (God came!) * He gave a promise that one of Eve’s children (Jesus Christ) would overcome evil for us. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (God promised!) * He clothed their nakedness by killing the first animal, making them not ashamed, but revealed His love and mercy. “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” (God clothed!) Notice the norm in the Church today. But, not just in this day and age. Mankind has always tried to self-justify. It is just the opposite of God’s Word: * We come to God. “I made a decision for Christ.” Yet God says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” – Romans 3.10,11. No, God comes to us. We are dead in our sins and trespasses and can make no move toward God. Our Lord must make the first move, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and free us from the bondage of sin. * We make promises to God. “I promise to always love You and love others!” Yet God says, “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” – James 3.8,9. Sin is deceitful. We think we are making wonderful promises to God and to others, but, as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7, we do the things we ought not to do and do not do the things we ought. Our hearts are deceitful and wicked above all (Jeremiah 17.9) Let us trust God’s promises, not ours. He is faithful and if we find ourselves faithful, it is because of His grace toward us. Praise God! * We clothe ourselves with good works. “Look what I did. I’m worthy now!” Yet God says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2.8,9. Good works are a good thing and are pleasing to the Lord. In fact, He created them for us to do them while here, but all praise and glory go to Him. Not one good work will give us salvation. God, instead, clothes us in Christ’s good works – His perfect, active obedience to the Law of God is the only way to the Father and everlasting life. When God comes to us in real time, adopting us as His children, again He comes, promises, and clothes us. * He comes to us through His Holy Word. ”For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” – John 6.38 (God came!) * He promises us eternal life. “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6.40 (God promised!) * He clothes us in the righteousness of Christ. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” – Isaiah 61.10 (God clothed!) How opposite the Creator from the creatures. Thanks be to God that His Word never changes. That we can rely on His coming to us, His promises, and His clothing us even to the end of the age. Forgiven much, Tamara Jack Check out my 90 lb. Weight Loss Journey with Weight Watchers HERE! To contact me, email: [email protected] (You can contact me for prayer, too.) Where to find me: Facebook: AssisiRosaries Page HERE YouTube: AssisiRosaries Channel HERE YouTube: Tamara Wigs Out Channel HERE Instagram: AssisiRosaries HERE Instagram: TamaraWigsOut HERE
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