Creation – The Fall

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

If you’re not familiar with the end of the creation story, then I will summarize it for you really quick. God created the whole world and the first humans, named Adam and Eve. God put Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden and gave them everything they could ever want but told them not to eat from one particular tree. Of course, just like an unruly toddler tempted by a cookie jar, the man and the woman ate from the tree.

An interesting part of this story is the moment they sin against God, they felt ashamed. They felt regret. They knew they had messed up, and they didn’t want to face the consequences. Or perhaps, they didn’t want to face the disappointment of God. Today’s verse says they hid from the presence of God. The idea of God’s presence comes up again and again in the Bible. People waver back and forth from wanting to be in God’s presence to being terrified of God’s presence. Maybe you recall a story Jesus told about a young man who was too ashamed of what he has done to come back to his Father’s presence.

The story of Scripture is about humanity’s journey back into the presence of God. Can you remember a time when you were wholly aware of God’s presence? Maybe it was in the middle of the wilderness or in the midst of worship? God’s presence is powerful and transformative, and God offers it freely to those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Be mindful of God’s presence today and take advantage of the abundant life offered by the Holy Spirit.