“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?””

Because I couldn’t say it any better, I’m going to quote from the beautiful little book that inspired this Advent series, Ann Voscamp’s “The Greatest Gift”.

For all the wandering, this is the first question of the Old Testament- God coming to ask after you, “Where are you?”

Where are you in your life? Where are you- from Me?

To get where you want to go, the first question you always have to answer is Where am I?

“Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren’t satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other.”

The only things that will satisfy our hunger for more is to hunger for the One who comes down to Bethlehem, house of Bread, the One who comes after us and offers Himself as Bread for our starved souls.

And for all the wondering, this is the first question of the New Testament, when the wise men come asking, “Where is he?” (Matthew 2:2)

We only find out where we are when we find out where He is. We only find ourselves… when we find Him. We lost ourselves at one tree. And only find ourselves at another.

Wise men are only wise because they make their priority the seeking of Christ.

Ann Voscamp, “The Greatest Gift” ; p. 22

Let us pray.

Lord, may we be wise! May we stop hiding from you and come to you – for you seek us always. You long for us to return to you for you know that only you can truly satisfy our deepest longings. Give us the eyes to see that, the ears to hear you calling to us, and a heart open to receiving all you have for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Questions

If God asked you, “Where are you?” how would you respond?

Are there things in your life you try to hide from him, that you are ashamed to share with him?

As you come to a growing awareness of just how much God loves you and longs to be with you, does it make you more open to sharing those things with him?