Come Out Of Hiding: God Still Walks In The Garden

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8.

I love the story of God’s relationship with Adam and Eve. Even after they sinned, God pursued them with His love and mercy. From the very beginning, the God of creation is a relational God, who desires to have close communion with humanity. He communicated with His creation in divergent and various ways and walked with Adam in the cool of the day. He manifested Himself in a burning bush, revealing His power and sovereignty. God protected and led His chosen people through the wilderness by a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. And then, He robed Himself in flesh and walked among His creation (John 1:1-14). God’s purpose throughout the entire Canon was to draw closer to humanity and the church is part of God’s plan.

You Don’t Have To Hide

The church is God’s idea. You are God’s most valuable vessel. The Bible does not hide the flaws of its heroes and leaders; rather it shows how an imperfect individual can be perfected by a Holy and perfect God. Through fallible men and women, God chooses to build a church. The Bible doesn’t hide crisis. There are many times when we feel like we have to hide parts of our story from one another, mainly because we feel shame or we fear being judged.

The word of God tells a clear story; you don’t have to isolate yourself—you don’t have to hide. I love that the Bible tells us God will give us beauty for ashes and informs us that we can be in the will of God and endure pain at the same time. Just because there is an uncomfortable circumstance in your life does not mean you are not in the middle of God’s will, continue to trust him.

If you’re like Adam today, hiding from God’s presence, I encourage you to commune with Him again. God wants to talk with you, perfect you, empower you to grow, and love you with an everlasting love.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You that You are the same God who walked in the garden with Adam, who met Moses in the flames, who led Israel with fire and cloud, and who came down in flesh to dwell among us. Even when I fall short or feel ashamed, Your voice still calls to me. Help me not to hide from Your presence. Pull me gently out of the shadows of fear, guilt, or insecurity. Remind me that I don’t need to be perfect to be in Your presence—I just need to be willing.Heal the places in me that have tried to disconnect from You. Let me hear Your voice in the cool of my day. Thank You for loving me with an everlasting love and for calling me back to communion. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Journal Prompts:

1. “What does communion with God look like in this season of my life?” How is God inviting you to walk with Him right now? Is it through prayer, rest, repentance, or joy?

2. “How has God met others in Scripture through brokenness?” Think of Bible figures like David, Peter, or the woman at the well. What does their story teach you about God’s response to imperfection?

This devotion was written by Angela Overton for moretolifetoday.net.