Where Are You?

By Gobel Brockman

     But the Lord God called to (Adam) and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9

Most of you reading this are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. (If not, it's found in the first few chapters of the book of Genesis.) God created them and placed them in the garden of Eden and gave them dominion over it. They were told that they could eat of every tree there except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were told that the day they ate of it they would die. The "serpent" came and tempted Eve, and she fell in the temptation, taking Adam with her. Soon "they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day" (Genesis 3:8) and they attempted to hide themselves from His presence. God then asked, "Where are you?"

"Where are you?" That seems like a strange question. Did God not know their location? Of course He did. I don't believe He was asking about their location, He was asking about their condition. And again, not because He didn't already know, but because He was in the process of letting them know, and He was also beginning to address their rebellion. 

I mention this because I was recently thinking about all of the times when we're tempted to ask God, "Where are You?" Our health or the health of someone we love continues to deteriorate, and prayer doesn't seem to help. Our finances take a beating, and the promises of God seem to be for everyone but us. We hear encouraging words and biblical promises that in our present state seem to be little more than fancy words, and the temptation to ask God, "Where are You?" rears its head. We pray for things and then watch as it seems that others are getting the answers to our prayers, and we're tempted to wonder if God is hearing us at all.

I believe that in these times we need to remember that as we ask God "Where are You?" He is asking us the same question  - and in all honesty, He's truly the only one that has the right to ask. You see, when we ask God, "Where are You?" it's about us getting what we think we want or need. But when God asks us the same question, He's going after much deeper answers:

"You know My will - are you still walking in it?"

"Are you still living in faith?" 

"Do you still trust Me in spite of what you see - or don't see?"

"You're going to stand before Me one day and give an account for your life. Are you living like you still believe that?"

What He's looking for is a faith that says, "Regardless of my present circumstance, I know that God is exactly who He says He is. His word is true, His power is real, and God has never failed - and He's not going to start now." In Luke 18:8 Jesus asked a pointed question:

     "Nevertheless when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?"

I hope so. I pray that my faith and trust will continually grow, to the point that no longer will I ask where He is because I'm convinced that He's right there with me always.

Where are you?