"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. But the Lord God called to man, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:8,9). "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). "Today, if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 3:7,15; 4:7).

This last weekend we saw many waterfalls during our trip to the Finger Lakes. Waterfalls are not only a refreshing sight but a wonderful sound as the rushing water bounces off the layers of rocks, it always begs your undivided attention. When at a waterfall Brooksyne almost always tries to take a video seeking to capture the sight and sound but it never does justice from being there "live". Of course, it doesn't help that if Stephen is near me he doesn't realize I'm recording and he starts talking which doesn't add proper ambience to the sound or presence of a waterfall recording.

We enjoy many interesting sounds of life. Where we live we have the clickety-clack of a horse and buggy slowly passing by our home, farm machinery working in a field, wind and rain splattering on the metal roof of our small barn, the neighborhood woodpecker persistently pecking away at the creaking tree.

We especially like the constant bird songs that we hear as we prepare these messages. The most dominant evening sound we hear, during this late summer season, is the locusts. I think they're in competition with all of nature to be the loudest!

There are special sounds wherever you live, sounds that you become familiar with and perhaps even take for granted barely noticing them. Hopefully there are enough pleasant sounds to drown out all the undesirable noises!

Have you ever wondered what God sounded like as He walked in the Garden of Eden? "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden." Apparently Adam and Eve had become familiar with this distinct sound and recognized it. Prior to the Fall it was a sound they surely cherished, but now they were attempting to hide. That distinct sound, which once brought joy and anticipation, now brought shame and dread. What a difference sin makes!

The very first recorded words of God following the Fall were, "Where are you?"  God, whose very nature is to "seek and save that which is lost", called out, while Adam and Eve sought to hide. But their hiding was futile. 

Thus begins the grand story of God's redeeming love, what Bible teacher W. Graham Scroggie calls "the scarlet thread of redemption" which runs through the Bible. He writes, "Christ is predicted in the Old Testament, present in the Gospels, proclaimed in the Acts, possessed in the Epistles, and predominant in the Revelation."

Today God continues to call out. If you listen you will hear His voice. Three times the writer of Hebrews quotes an Old Testament Psalm, "Today, if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts" (3:7,15; 4:7). We encourage you to respond to His voice today. Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling!



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber