They hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:8.
A father walks into his living room and he sees a broken lamp, or a toy, or a picture frame. Something is broken, but mysteriously no one is around. The father calls out to anyone who might hear, “Where are you?” After a few moments of silence, a small voice responds from behind a closed bedroom door, “In here.”
The father opens the door and can see the shame in his young son’s silent face. Then suddenly, out pours a flood of excuses. “It wasn’t my fault! It was my sister, my brother, the dog!” The father responds by explaining to his son what happened was wrong and trying to make excuses doesn’t make it any better. The father takes his son by the hand and they go clean up the mess.
It is a familiar scene because it has been repeated since the beginning of time. When Adam and Eve sinned, paradise was shattered by their disobedience. In their guilt they hid in shame and God called out to them, “Where are you?” Their heavenly Father gave them a chance to fess up, but instead they shifted the blame; they made excuses. In his great love, God was patient with them, he rebuked them, and then he made the ultimate promise that would clean up the mess that they had made. He would send a Savior.
When we break his commands, God in his love calls out to us through his Word and through our conscience, saying, “Where are you?” Your heavenly Father doesn’t want you to hide in shame, to make excuses, or shift the blame. He wants you to confess your sins; because most of all, he wants to wipe away your guilt and shame. He wants to remind you exactly where you are through faith in Jesus. You are in his family. You are his child.
That’s why in his word our heavenly Father tells us of that Savior that he sent. Jesus was born into this world as our brother. Jesus took the blame, he suffered for our sins. His perfection is given to us and our guilt is taken away. Through his Word God assures us, and in baptism he reminds you, exactly where you are through faith. “You are in my family.” “You are my forgiven and dearly loved child.”