Three words. Its a pretty simple question. Yet at the same time it is perhaps the most primary question we should perhaps ever hear. Each morning we should hear it whispered to us as we awake and each evening as we snuggle up in our bed, the question: “Where are you?”
It is the original God question: “Adam (lit. “Man”) “Where are You?” It is the very first question God asks in the Bible and perhaps the most important one for us to answer on a regular basis. “Where am I anyway?” We need to hear the question being asked and consider Who is asking and why He asks the question in the first place.
I have come to see God is the original question asker. This brings me some measure of comfort because I have been accused of being altogether too inquisitive over the course of my life. When others are content to listen I am asking questions (often to the disdain of my classmates or my fellow workers).
The interesting thing is the Lord is not the one who is at a loss for where man is. Man is. God knows precisely which cluster of trees the guilty couple are hiding behind at any given moment. What is perhaps most amazing is that God doesn’t say “There you are! I see you! You aren’t fooling anybody!”
The Lord simply asks the question “Adam, Where are you?” He let’s that question echo out over the garden and echo down through the ages and then right into our heart this very moment. “Where are you? We must replace Adam’s name with our own. “Bob, Where are you?” “Where are you with me?” “with obeying what I’ve said” “with enjoying what I intended?” At times I must hear my own heart painfully respond “O God, I am so not where I should be but I don’t want to deal with it so here I sit ashamed in the shade of my own condemnation.”
Spurgeon told his students who wanted to become preachers: “When you read this verse “Adam, where are you?” if you read it as a policeman would “Adam! Where are you!” in an angry accusing tone, you do not belong in the ministry. He said you must read it with the tone of a brokenhearted father searching for a lost beloved child.
Remember God knows the answer before He asks the question. The question is for our sake not His! He asks because it is we who do not truly know where we are and need to hear that our loving Father is yet seeking us out and loving us still. Hear Him say to you this moment “Come out Come out wherever you are!”
David prayed “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps 139:23-24
Pastor Bob Kopeny 
thank you, Pastor Bob, for the encouraging message.
may the Lord bless you & keep you close by His side..
each day and your family.ā„
What a wonderful teacher you are. You encourage us to be better followers of God. I am trying and seeking Him at every turn.
Thank you for being such a wonderful pastor.
Very encouraging Bob. Thank you. Reminds me of a verse I was reading this week: Ezekiel 34:11
Ah, but Gen 3:1 is the question most of us struggle with, because we don’t know His Eternal Word, as you posted previously. Thanks Bob.
today I am asking Jesus what He is up to and can I be apart of it – I pray I will be found doing the same thing tomorrow.
GREAT POST BOB – keep writing !!!!
So true, and as you draw near to Him, He draws near to you, =)
When I read this I DID have to ask that question…………really Jan, where am I? I need to put all the ‘things’ in my life away, and follow Him, I pray that I can keep my focus on Him as I walk in His path that leads me to the place that I can know He wants me to be. I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17
Nice post. Reminds me of the old Don Francisco song, which is the way the question is now implanted in my head, with his voice and all. š
How gentle of our Father to ask this in this manner, when we are in outright disobedience to His command! Piercing to the heart with His simple question.
Great thoughts Bob!
Where am I?
Hidden in HIS Holiness praising GOD for HIS Mercy and Grace.
Wonderful article, Bob.
Cool, my own personal morning devotions with Pastor Bob. Thanks!
Here I am Lord! This is the Response Our Father Loves to Hear and yet, because we now FAll under the original sins of our Disobedience and unbelief we too do hide in the bushes with fear and trembling. And not the Love that we all once knew!
A very very Nice Blog post, Pastor Bob very nice. For any teacher to teach now today the so called wrath of God upon Man is in my opinion, stripping the Man of his shield let alone the sword, you Pastor have done well. And I know you need not my approval, but I do encourage you to keep teaching Our Fathers Gentleness and Love always!
Donnie/ Sinbad the Sailor Man
Great post!
I am finding Him to be my Father, My Daddy, my Papa. I am in awe of such love.
Thanks Pastor Bob…..great Father’s Day post! We do need to keep the proper view of our Heavenly Father…He loves us so much and sometimes we forget he wants to free us from condemnation …. not pile it up on us! Have a Happy Father’s Day! In His Grace, Kari
Jeepers, I enjoy listening to and reading your posts. So cool that it makes me happy, how much He loves me. This wretched heart that has to be constantly forgiven, has a love she doesn’t deserve. It can be bit overwhelming!