«Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself»‘ (Genesis 3:9, 10).
Fear is the first emotion mentioned in the Bible. When did fear first appear? Before or after sin? A famous Christian writer suggests that if Eve hadn’t been afraid of the serpent, she would have been successful in confronting it, but that since Adam and Eve had not spoken a great deal, they did not know how to deal with fear, so fear conquered them. According to this theory, fear came before sin.
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary explains it better: «But the sound of God ‘s approach was now a source of alarm. Both felt that they dared by no means to meet their Creator. The reason for their fear was neither humility nor modesty but a profound sense of guilt.»—vol. 1, p. 231. Undoubtedly, fear appeared when our first parents met with God after sinning.
Fear is not limited to a specific gender. It was Adam who, upon realizing his condition, admitted it first. Fear which is not dealt with correctly leads to sin, and sin leads us to hide ourselves. Since we have all sinned, we all hide ourselves, perhaps not behind bushes, but rather behind a hectic schedule, behind a gruff character, even behind church responsibilities. We want to avoid coming into contact with God because we know that we have disappointed Him, but the good news is that God does not abandon us. He is ready to offer us His forgiveness and to cover us with the robe of His righteousness.
When you are afraid, what do you do? Do you hide? Do you admit it? Do you ignore it? Adam’s fear led him to blame his wife, and in an extended way, to blame God Himself. Do you blame others for your own actions when you are afraid. One «positive» thing about fear is the fact that it makes us see our weak condition. Express your fears, confess them to God, acknowledge your condition, and accept God’s forgiveness. Take inventory of your fears. What fears are the result of disobedience? Who do you blame when you are afraid? What fears are leading you to sin and to hide from God?
Come to your heavenly Father with confidence. Jesus loves you too much to abandon you when you feel fear, or to leave you with any doubts about His infinite grace. He knows that nothing causes more fear in us than ignorance of His divine grace.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
