"Then the Lord called to the man, 'Where are you?"' (Gen 3:9).

God had granted Adam and Eve permission to eat the fruits of any tree in the garden of Eden, with one exception: fruits from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16, 17).  But through the serpent's temptations, they yielded to their desires and transgressed.  Consequently, they saw their own nudity, felt ashamed and hid themselves from God. Hence God called Adam, "Where are you?" (Gen 3:9).  But is not God omniscient?  Did He not know the whereabouts of Adam and Eve?  Why should He call?

1. To make man realize his own sins

Through his disobedience, Adam forfeited his status as the son of God (Lk 3:38) and hid himself from God's love and grace.  God nevertheless remained merciful.  He did not chastise him immediately.  He hoped to remind Adam of his sin, and to offer him an opportunity to repent.

However, Adam and Eve were unmoved. Instead they attempted to put the blame on each other.  Their outcome was exile from the garden of Eden.  Indeed, had they repented, there would have been joy in the presence of the angels of God over them (Lk 15:7-10).

The Lord Jesus allegorized the love of God thus: a certain man had two sons.  The younger son asked his father for his share of the inheritance which he then promptly sold.  With the proceeds he traveled to another country and squandered everything.  In poverty, he looked back and decided to return to his father, not as a son, but as a slave.  Yet, while approaching home, his father saw him from afar and ran to receive him warmly as a long-lost but now-found son.  This moving reunion clearly indicates the father's longings for the return of his prodigal son (Lk 15).

This young man is typical of many people today whose only concern is to pursue worldly pleasures.  They take pride in their own sufficiency and their seeming independence from God.  They boast of their own limited endowment and intellect, not knowing that these are in fact part of the divine providence.

2. To make man understand his duty

Although life in the garden of Eden was harmonious and carefree, God had entrusted Adam with a specific task: the cultivation of the garden (Gen 2:15).  But having sinned against God, Adam and Eve went into hiding, thereby forsaking their duty.  The Lord called to remind them of this responsibility.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”' (Mt 9:37) is indeed a statement of fact.  Like a planting field, the church today requires the concerted effort of the whole congregation.  Paul praised the Philippian church thus: "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now' (Phil 1:3-5).  The Philippians understood the one common goal among Christians: evangelism.  And they all united and worked towards this goal.  They did not attempt to evade or forsake their duties.  Are we neglecting our responsibilities today?

Hitherto, God has been calling “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Is 6:8).  Despite the scarce manpower and the heavy workload, we shall remember God is our strength.  The Lord requires that we give Him our best, and He will guide and direct us.  As Isaiah did let us courageously reply "Here am I, Lord, send me" (Is 6:8).

3. To make man draw near to Him

In the garden of Eden, our first ancestors were able to speak to God, draw near to Him and have direct communication with Him.  Many Christians are able to enjoy a similar communion with God through concentrated and prolonged prayers today.  They feel the closeness of God's presence in their daily lives.

Yet a sad fact remains: many present day believers, for various reasons have drifted away.  Perhaps their sins have shunned them from God's glory.  Even so, the Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, the faithful and righteous God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9).  If we have not committed a mortal sin, God will surely pardon us.  Therefore we must not depart from God owing to our sins.  Instead let us draw near to Him and repent.

In the parable of the marriage feast, a certain man had prepared a banquet and sent his servant to fetch all the invited guests.  However, no one came.  Everyone had a legitimate excuse.  Like the invited guests, many people now focus their attention on the worldly feast of carnal enjoyment and pleasures.  They reject the spiritual feast offered by the Lord with numerous justifications.  Church attendance to worship God and partake in the spiritual feast have become unimportant.  The God who searches the hearts and minds of men requires our reverent and devoted worship.  As His children, we should strive to strengthen our faith and draw closer to Him.  If this is not so, perhaps we need to examine the factors that are keeping us from God.  The truth is God has not forsaken us; rather we have alienated ourselves from Him.

Conclusion

The omniscient God knew the whereabouts of Adam and Eve after they had sinned and had hidden themselves.  Nevertheless He still called out to them.  This is to enable them to repent and to remind them of their responsibilities and the importance of drawing near to Him.  Today, God calls us when we have neglected His teachings or sinned against Him.  He calls to remind us of the field yet to be harvested or when we are unwilling to attend services.  Hence let us ponder upon these various points such that should He call us again, our prompt reply will be "Lord, here am I".

            When He has brought out all His own, He goes before Him, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. (Jn 10:4)