The Genesis Reflex

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve hear the sound of God walking in the garden. When they hide, God calls out, “Where are you?”
It’s a question filled not with accusation, but with invitation. God already knows where Adam is - just as a parent playing hide and seek with a small child knows exactly which curtain they’re hiding behind—but He still asks. It’s an act of grace.

That moment reveals something about us, and something about Him.

Adam’s response is simple: “I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”
That single sentence outlines a cycle many of us know too well.
Guilt says I did something wrong.
Shame says I am wrong.
Fear says I need to hide.
And the pattern repeats - guilt, shame, fear, hiding - again and again, until we turn away from the very One who can heal us.

This “Genesis reflex” still shapes how we live today. When we fall short, we cover and avoid. We run from God instead of running to Him.

A Distorted View of God

When we hide, our picture of God changes. We start to see Him not as a loving Father but as an authority figure waiting to punish. We expect rejection instead of mercy. But Scripture reminds us - His mercies are new every morning. He isn’t out to shame us; He calls us to restore us.

Rediscovering Identity

One of the deepest struggles believers face is understanding their identity in Christ. Romans 8 says that those who are led by the Spirit are children of God. We have not received a spirit of fear or bondage, but the Spirit of adoption - by which we cry, Abba, Father.

That word Abba means “Dad.” It speaks of intimacy, trust, and family. Life with God is not meant to be distant or fearful - it’s meant to be close, adventurous, and expectant. As Eugene Peterson paraphrased, the resurrection life isn’t timid or grave-tending; it’s childlike and full of wonder, saying, “What’s next, Papa?”

When shame and fear rule, our posture shifts from “What’s next?” to “Why me?” But when we come out of hiding, His Spirit reminds us who we are - sons and daughters, walking in both His sufferings and His glory.

Real Relationship

Faith is not about silence or avoidance - it’s about relationship. Relationships grow through honesty, even tension. Making peace isn’t the same as being peaceful; real peace often requires hard conversations and reconciliation. Blessed are the peacemakers - those who work toward restoration, not just comfort.

The Christian life was never meant to be static or dull. It’s a living, breathing walk with God and others. As Jesus said in Matthew 28, we’re called to go and make disciples - not just to attend, but to walk alongside others as they encounter His love.

When we see someone discover God’s grace for the first time - when their face changes, when hope lights up again - it reminds us that this faith is anything but boring. Discipleship, community, worship - it’s all part of the same invitation: to walk with God in the garden again.

And through it all, the same question still echoes:
Where are you?
Are you hiding? Or are you walking with Him, ready to ask, “What’s next, Father?”