Alienated
One of my boys would hide behind the full-length curtains in the front room when he had done something he shouldn’t. He didn’t realize at age two I could see his feet sticking out beneath the hem. His silence was also a dead giveaway. If it got quiet in the house, I knew that meant trouble. It was time for me to search. In the same way, Adam hid from God’s fellowship in the garden because of guilt. In Genesis 3 verse 8-11, it says Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid “(NIV).
That natural tendency remains with us as adults. When we know we’re wrong or we don’t want to feel the unpleasant conviction of the Holy Spirit we withdraw from God like Jonah. That story is so much more than a tale of a whale. It’s a picture of those who are called, but refuse, and a picture of those who obey with a bad attitude. The fact is Jonah’s disobedience put many others in jeopardy on the ship. “So he said to them, ‘I am a Hebrew and I [reverently] fear and worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and dry land. ’Then the men became extremely frightened and said to him, ‘How could you do this?’ for the men knew he was running from the presence of the Lord because he had told them” (Jonah 1: 9,10). Wow!
Many Christian families have that prodigal who hides or distances himself from his loved ones out of disagreement and guilt. This broken family fellowship is hurtful. The prodigal tries to hide from God by ignoring the Word and fellowship with God’s people. Prodigals are tricked by the enemy of our souls into thinking that the Father only wants to punish. They don’t understand God longs to enfold them in his arms, to forgive and restore and bring the best blessings. Many wallow for years in pointless guilt and misery trying to pay for sins themselves with self-recrimination that will never bring peace. This alienation feels like a wound. But God can heal it! Christ shed his blood to bring true restoration and genuine forgiveness. The prodigal only has to ask.
Ephesians 2 says,”…Remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from any relationship with him], alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise [with no share in the sacred Messianic promise and without knowledge of God’s agreements], having no hope [in His promise] and [living] in the world without God.But now [at this very moment] in Christ Jesus you who once were [so very] far away [from God] have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
For He himself is our peace and our bond of unity” (13,14).
Are you the alienated one? Are you the parent or relative or friend of a Jonah? The Father wants restoration in his family.
Oh God, I don’t want disharmony or broken relationships. Restore us. Give us your plan for living. We cry out for wholeness. Bring our family together!
Yes, it took me a long time to understand that God is merciful (yet just), and I am thankful that I am back in His arms.