Praying without being afraid…

Genesis 3 records the fall of man, namely Adam and Eve eating bad apples. Yes, they were “bad apples” weren’t they?

The God of the Universe comes looking for them in the cool of the day. (Genesis 3:8— “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.”) It implies the God of the Universe had an intimate, “walking side-by-side” relationship with man in the garden.

Adam and Eve disobeyed. They get into the fig-leaf bikini making business; they hid and God comes looking for them. They have disobeyed the Lord’s command. They are in deep trouble and God says “where are you?” They suffered consequences for their disobedience but it amazes me how gentle God was with them in spite of their sin.

Where are you? Many of us have prayer lives that are distant and erratic. I believe we don’t pray because of two reasons (there may be more). Number one, we are afraid of God; and Number two, we don’t think it makes any difference.

Genesis 3:21 says: “the Lord made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”  They didn’t ask for clothes; God saw there need and supplied it without their asking. What a God!

How many times has God provided for us—clothes, food, water, life and breathe without our asking or appreciation? How many times have we come safely to the end of a day and we didn’t find time to thank Him and we sleep safely through the night without a thought. Where are you?

Yes, we may be afraid of God but He provides for us even when we are ungrateful and inattentive brats. When we approach God, we need to come in awe-some reverence but not crawling in the dirt with fear. Since the beginning of time, God has desired relationship (personal and close) with us.  Where are you?

God thought so much of restoring that relationship that God provided the way for us to come completely, totally back to Him. That way was and is His Son Jesus.

Because of Jesus Christ, His death, sacrifice, suffering, and His resurrection victory over sin and death, we can come before God the Father without crawling in the dirt.

Don’t be afraid. Pray because prayer is the process of how we develop a close personal relationship with the God of the Universe. Don’t be afraid of Him. He forgives our sin and forgets it…; He provides for us even when we don’t ask and yes, He answers our prayers. He fulfills His promise of Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Oh, we are the blessed sons and daughters of the One and only God, the Most High. What a blessing and privilege.

Thank you, Father; thank you, Jesus…come Holy Spirit.