The Invitation in the Garden

“Where Are You?”

It’s a question many of us have whispered or shouted: in waiting, in pain, in unanswered prayer. We hit a dry, barren patch and think, “God, where are you?” We compare ourselves to others - “You answered their prayers, why not mine?” - and wonder what’s going on.

Before humanity ever asked God that question, God asked it of us.

In Genesis, after Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they hid. God called, “Where are you?” It was the first moment of distance; humanity ran, God sought. That pattern has marked our story ever since.

Adam answered, “I was afraid because I was naked. ”God replied, “Who told you that?” We bring excuses and disqualifiers - I’m not good enough; I can’t do it; you picked the wrong person - and God answers, “Who told you that? That didn’t come from me.”

This “Where are you?” is an invitation, not an interrogation. As D. A. Carson notes, God’s questions elicit confession, not information. He isn’t misplacing us; he’s restoring us. Like a father playing hide-and-seek who calls out so the giggling child can make themselves known, God calls, “Where are you?” - not because He can’t locate us, but to draw us out of hiding and back into relationship.

This invitation is personal and communal. God calls individuals and His church: “Where are you?” Not to crush or condemn, but to call us closer - to bring our pain, lament, and frustration to Him rather than holding Him at arm’s length. He is not insecure; He can carry our questions and our grief. The Psalms show us that honesty before God is the pathway back to trust.

Response

When you find yourself asking, “God, where are You?” listen for His echo: “Where are you?”Bring your disappointment, your silence, your dryness - come closer. Don’t run; return. Answer simply: “Here I am.”