Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

God already knew what had happened when He came looking for them. He came 'walking in the garden in the cool of the day' which appears to be His normal pattern with His friends. He began to call out to them, looking for His friends in pursuit of communion. This doesn't sound like broken relationship to me. Knowing what he already knew, He wanted to see if they would reach out to Him for help. The foundation of their relationship was love and acceptance. What He found was self- protection. They had already cut themselves off from His protection, so they could protect themselves. What happened is exactly what God promised would happen...death! Decay began to consume their world. The lies of the enemy found a home. Where vulnerability and openness had once flourished, shame and fear began to consume their consciousness. Like a monkey swinging from tree to tree, they swung from self-doubt to self-justification, leaving an overwhelming sense of insecurity. Skepticism replaced a natural trust for others. You can see it in Adams response to God's question regarding his disobedience. 'This woman you gave me, caused me to eat the fruit.' At man's first opportunity to stand up and take responsibility for his actions, he throws Eve under the bus! Then, he deflects responsibility further by blaming God for creating her. God didn't turn His back on them, they turned their back on Him. Mankind has been doing the same for centuries. Like an old corroded pipe that is easily clogged, their ability to feel God's flow of love became restricted by corrosion. This is also what happens in our relationships with each other. We want love and connection, but the tools of self-protection restrict us.

This side of the cross we still do the same thing. These self- protective tendencies are the leftovers of sin. When Christ