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“Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9

From Genesis 3 through the entire Bible, God asks us the question, “Where are you?” After the Fall, when Adam and Eve were shamefully hiding in the Garden, God pursued them with those words. Was it because He had no idea where they were and was trying to locate them geographically? Of course not. He was kindly and graciously asking for them to admit where they were spiritually.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three consecutive stories that illustrate our heavenly Father asking that same proverbial question. The shepherd leaves behind the 99 to seek the one. I picture Him covering ground quickly, maybe shouting “Where are you?” in hopes the sheep would hear His voice. A woman misplaces one coin, and sweeps her house carefully, likely muttering anxiously the whole time, “Where are you? Where are you?”

Then there is the prodigal son story, in which a privileged child who has everything he could ever want or need in his father’s house, turns away and goes in the direction of self-satisfying sin and pleasure. The whole time he’s gone, his father may have been standing on his porch pining (probably through tears and lamenting cries) asking that same question, ‘Where are you?”

Some of us have been players in the prodigal son story, whether the father, son, or brother, each with its weighty lessons. But if you’ve been the parent in this scene, you may have known right where that child was (or is), geographically—just like God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were hiding in the Garden. So, when you pose the question, “Where are you?,” it’s weighted with understanding and longing…the underlying words are more like, “You are so far from the Truth, my child. When will you recognize where you are and turn back to God?” And like the father in the story, we can’t really force them “home.” We love them, pray for them, and hope they come to their senses sooner than later.

And this is the context of our gracious Father God. When we are lost or have run away from Him, He knows where we are. But He asks the question of us, so we’ll acknowledge it ourselves. That we’ll recognize our hiding from God is futile. That we’ll look around to recognize that we’re sitting in a pigsty starving when we could be clean, clothed in peace, and satisfied in the arms of Jesus.

So, friend, where are you? If you’re lost or far from home, turn back. The Lord’s arms are open, and He is waiting for you.

“Thank You, Lord, for your grace and kindness—for always seeking me and welcoming me home to You.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life