The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
- Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve are about to be exiled from the comforts of paradisiacal Eden and sent into the harsh wilderness. But they won’t be sent without help.

Today’s passage shows God making garments of skin for Adam and Eve. Immediately after Adam and Eve rebelled, they tried to make their own clothes by weaving together fig leaves. Though their leafy clothing may have covered them, fig leaves would provide little protection from the elements and would wear out quickly. God’s gift of clothing shows a level of practicality and foresight.

But the gift of clothing does more than help Adam and Eve navigate life in the wilderness. Their rebellion damaged their relationship with God. When they hid from God, they revealed this inner disconnect.

When we see God exiling Adam and Eve, it raises a question for us: “Will God stay engaged with these people and their descendants?” When God gives them clothing, we see evidence that his concern for them will extend into their long exile. And throughout the Bible we see God continuing to pursue and bless humanity in exile. God is with us, always.

By giving humanity clothing, God is also pulling Adam and Eve together toward a common cause: survival in the wilderness. They will need each other to make it. The challenges that the wilderness will provide will be much better met if they face them as allies and not as adversaries. In the act of giving clothing, God re-focuses Adam and Eve away from the “Who’s to blame?” question and toward the “What will we do now?” question.

How is God redirecting and re-focusing your attention today? Where do you need to stop asking “Who’s to blame?” and start asking “What will we do now?”