Where are You?

December 8 – The Immaculate Conception

Genesis 3:9-15, 20 /  Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 / Galatians 1:3-6, 11-12 /Luke 1:26-38

Where Are You?

“Where are you?” is such a basic question. When God asks Adam that question, he answers, “I hid myself.” The fact that God raises the question with the first man should make us realize it is far more than a matter of geography. This “Where are you?” is more like “What happened?” Adam is not so much lost as hiding: “I heard you… so I hid myself.” Adam could not face God. 

Somewhere in the depth of his soul Adam knew he could not hide from God, but that did not stop him from trying. Sound familiar? Does this pattern play out in your life? There are times when we know we’ve been caught, we are aware of our guilt, but we still try to hide it. At times like that it’s hard to look someone in the eye. 

Yet it is by revealing our sin to God – not by hiding it from him – that we find ourselves. It is by coming to see ourselves as God sees us that we understand who we truly are.  We are in hiding – from ourselves – until we come to see ourselves the way God sees us. 

When Gabriel “finds” Mary, the angel says, “Hail full of grace.” Some translations read, “Greetings, highly favored daughter.” This is how God sees us, highly favored, full of grace, as his own children made in his image and likeness. Thus he sent his Son, born of Mary, to find us, to restore us to our original destiny. Adam and Eve once knew that highly favored status: of all the creatures God had made, he had made human beings in his own image and likeness, and over them alone he pronounced the special benediction, “very good.” (Gen. 1:27ff) 

Today’s feast is about seeing where we are, and coming to see ourselves as we truly are. It is about gaining the courage to come out of hiding, because God has been made manifest as our Savior, as God who still walks among us, to seek, find and save sinners, that we might fulfill our original purpose: to exist for the praise of his glory, to be truly blessed.

• Imagine yourself walking in the garden and hearing the sound of God approaching you.  What is that sound like? What do you feel? 
• Let God ask you, “Where are you?” What is your answer?
• Stand before a mirror. Describe what you see. Then stand before God in prayer and let God describe what he sees.
• According to Ephesians 1:12 God’s purpose for you is for you to exist to praise God’s glory. How do you see yourself as fulfilling God’s purpose for you? In what ways do you praise God’s glory?