A Call to Self-Examination
The Holy One’s question pierced Adam’s heart—a heart that was no longer awestruck.
Who had made him feel exposed, vulnerable, and ashamed?
Who had planted the seed of fear in his soul—fear of the very One who designed him, formed him from dust, breathed life into him, blessed him, and loved him more than anything else in creation?
How could this be?
Adam had once walked and talked with the Holy One as naturally as he did with Chava.
He had never needed fig leaves.
He had never felt the urge to run or hide from the Creator’s presence.
But now… everything had changed.
What Has Changed?
- Not the Holy One.
- Not His love for Adam.
- Not His delight in what He created.
So why, then, does standing before the One who loves us most now feel terrifying?
Why do we fear what He wants to do in our lives?
It is because, like Adam, we have eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
If we knew only good, we would have no reason to fear.
But now, we know evil as well.
And yet, we do not understand evil as He does. Instead, we perceive it through the distorted lens of our own paranoia—a lens that blinds us to the truth.
The Hallucinogenic Effect of Sin
The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil acts like a hallucinogenic drug on the human soul:
- It causes us to see evil everywhere except within ourselves.
- We project the evil within us onto others and onto our circumstances.
- We even imagine evil in the Holiest of All.
In our state of confusion, we misjudge God’s intentions:
- We think He hates us instead of loves us.
- We think He wants to harm us instead of heal us.
- We think He wants to condemn us instead of redeem us.
And so, we feel naked.
And so, we feel the urge to cover up.
We are paranoid—afraid that if anyone, especially the Holy One, sees us uncovered, we will be judged.
And that thought is more than we can bear.
Prayer for the Journey
May I at last be free of this paranoia.
May I remember and experience once again
the sweetness of intimate fellowship with You, my King!
Awestruck Heart Challenge #3
Get an accurate reading on your heart.
- How do you feel toward the King?
- How do you think the King feels toward you?
Awestruck Heart Exercise #3
- Read: 2 Samuel 9:1-7
- Write: A personal letter to the King, expressing how you feel toward Him and why.
- Read & Meditate: Isaiah 49:14-16
- Ask the King:
- What about You do I fear?
- What about You do I not trust?
- What about You do I not like?
- What about me do I fear You do not like?
- What needs to change in me and in my worldview so that I may experience total trust, perfect love, and complete peace in You again?
Closing Reflection
Today, let the King reveal what is hidden.
Let Him uncover the lies you have believed.
Let Him clothe you in truth and restore your confidence in His love.
He is still calling.
Will you answer?