The moment everything falls apart often becomes the moment God steps in. Throughout Scripture, we see this pattern repeatedly – sin happens, judgment comes, hope looks dead, and then, right when you think it’s over, God intervenes. Two simple words capture this profound truth: “BUT GOD.”

When We Hide, God Comes Near

Imagine being trapped under rubble, like 15-year-old Jonah Handler was during the 2021 Surfside building collapse in Florida. Jonah fell from the 10th floor to ground level, buried under concrete with no way out. All he could do was cry for help.

A stranger named Nicholas Balboa heard that cry while walking his dog nearby. He could have kept walking. He wasn’t a firefighter or rescue worker. But instead, he ran toward danger and helped save the only survivor of that terrible tragedy.

This mirrors our spiritual condition. We often find ourselves trapped by sin, buried under shame and guilt, crying out, “Is anyone there? Can anyone help me?”

In Genesis 3, we see this play out with Adam and Eve. After they ate the forbidden fruit, something profound happened:

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 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.” (Genesis 3:7-8)

Their sin created immediate separation. They became self-aware and self-conscious. Their focus turned inward rather than upward toward God. This is where the “self-life” begins – a problem that plagues humanity to this day.

But God still came walking in the garden. Even knowing their sin, He drew near. He didn’t turn His back or stay away. He pursued relationship with them despite their failure.

When We Feel Ashamed, God Calls Out

Sin produces shame, and shame makes us hide. Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves – a futile attempt to deal with sin’s consequences through their own efforts.

But God called out to them: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)

God wasn’t asking because He didn’t know. He was inviting them out of hiding. Adam’s response reveals the heart of our human condition: “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid” (Genesis 3:10).

This wasn’t just about physical nakedness – it was about spiritual exposure. It was the fear that comes when you’ve done something wrong and stand before the One who knows everything.

Instead of confession, Adam deflected: “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12). Eve did the same: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:13).

When self-life takes over, we protect ourselves at all costs. We shift blame and make excuses. Shame doesn’t produce humility but defensiveness. Not openness, but hiding. Not confession, but accusation.

Yet through it all, God approached them more like a shepherd than a judge. He kept pursuing, kept calling out – just as He continues to do with us today.

When We Fall, God Promises Victory

In the midst of pronouncing consequences for their sin, God made an incredible promise:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

This verse is considered the first gospel message (the Protoevangelium), coming immediately after the Fall. God already had a plan in place. He foreknew everything that would unfold and had mapped out a path to victory through Jesus Christ.

Like the Advent candle of hope we light – one small flicker in the darkness – this promise pointed to the offspring of woman who would one day crush the serpent’s head. Jesus would come to defeat sin once and for all.

And notice what God does next: “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). God provided coverings far superior to their inadequate fig leaves. But to make these garments, an animal had to die – foreshadowing how the sacrificial Lamb of God would one day provide our eternal covering.

The Divine Intervention We All Need

From the very beginning, God’s divine intervention has provided a pathway to salvation. Instead of hiding, we should draw near to Him. Instead of deflecting in shame, we should answer His gentle call.

We have hope in the promise that God has defeated sin through Jesus. The choice remains the same today as it was in the garden: Will we trust in our own inadequate coverings? Or will we accept the covering God provides through Christ?

The gospel is found in those two powerful words: “BUT GOD.” We were lost in sin, BUT GOD made a way back home.

Watch the full sermon on our YouTube channel to dive deeper into this message of hope and divine intervention.

How has God intervened in your life when you felt trapped by sin or shame? Share your story with someone this week who needs to hear about God’s pursuing love.