“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:8)
Adam and Eve had fellowship with God before they sinned. They were familiar with God’s voice. The LORD came regularly to the garden to be with them. But when they disobeyed God, they hid from Him. Their eyes were opened, and they now knew sin. They realized it was foreign to God. Guilt is written in sin. And Adam and Eve hid.
The first thing we do when we sin is depart from God. That guilt in unconfessed and unforgiven sin keeps us from enjoying fellowship with God. All that is written in a heart that is forgiven and free from sin enjoys the fellowship of God and the brethren. One of the first indicators that we have broken fellowship with God is avoiding church services. Like Adam and Eve, we hide from God. But God sees all and knows all. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13)
When we keep sin in our lives, we are the most miserable of people. Sin makes us miserable. David experienced this. “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.” (Psalms 32:3-4) There is a spiritual death in sin and also physical consequences especially if we have known God’s Goodness. We may try to put up a good front like David, but we will know a shriveling up in our life. Our joy will be gone. It will be only a distasteful facade.
Let’s keep things in perspective. We all sin. If you say you don’t sin, the Bible tells us you’re a liar. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1John 1:8) We cannot excuse sin nor can we condemn anyone who sins because we all sin. But when sin is revealed in our lives, we cannot think that all is lost and give in to that sin. When sin is revealed, it should be an opportunity to bring glory to God and enjoy the glory of God in our lives.
God is glorified each time we obey Him. So, when sin is revealed in our lives, let’s stop and obey. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9) Don’t hide your sin but bring it out in the open and expose it for what it is. It’s death. We don’t want any part of death in our lives. Get rid of it fast. Allow the Lord to cleanse our hearts, our souls (mind, will and emotions) from death and from guilt. Come to know the joy and glory of obedience. “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” (Psalms 32:5)
Think on the relationship David had with the LORD. God honored David saying he was a man after God’s own heart. “And when He had removed him (Saul), He raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also He gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will.” (Acts 13:22) God honored him further saying his kingdom would be forever. “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.” (2Samuel 7:16) We may ask how that can be since David was merely a man. How can a man’s kingdom be eternal? To be eternal it has to be divine. Here is an inkling to all that the Messiah’s kingdom would come from the line of David. Jesus was a descendant of David. And the reign of Jesus, the Messiah, will be forever.
This is God’s glory. Was David sinless? No! He was a man who committed many sins. But his heart sought the Lord. He knew physically and mentally when his fellowship with God was broken. He confessed it, repented and restored God’s glory in his life. We can do the same.
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