Where Are You?: Genesis 3:8-13

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.

Walking in the garden. The phrase suggests intimacy, routine—as if God often came to walk with his creatures in the evening breeze. This was relationship, not religion. Fellowship, not formality.

But now they hid.

The same trees that had been given for food and beauty became barriers to hide behind. The creatures made for communion with God now crouched in shadows, hearts pounding, desperately hoping the Almighty would not find them.

But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

The first question God asks in Scripture. Not because he did not know the answer—the Omniscient One was not confused about their location. The question was for them. Where are you? What has happened to you? How did you end up hiding from the one who made you?

He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

Fear and shame. The two fruits of the fall, ripening already in Adam's chest. He who had walked naked with God now trembled at his approach. Sin had not made him wise; it had made him terrified.

And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

Another question to draw out confession. God was not interrogating for information but inviting honesty. The path back began with admission.

The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

The blame cascade began. The woman you put here. Not just Eve's fault—God's fault for giving her. Adam deflected, shifted, pointed anywhere but at himself.

Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"

The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Eve pointed at the serpent. The serpent had no one left to blame.

The pattern was set: sin brings hiding, hiding brings seeking, seeking brings questions, questions bring blame. And blame solves nothing.

God had found them. Now came the reckoning.