Scripture Text for Today: Genesis 3:1-3:24
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Today’s devotion is on Genesis 3:1-24, a crucial section to grasp. It’s hard to focus on just one thing in this chapter "the fall of man", pretty big deal. God tells Adam and Eve that they may eat from any tree in the garden, but the one in the middle of the garden. God tells them "You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die." The serpent deceives Eve by telling her "You surely shall not die". I wonder what Eve’s thoughts were before and after eating the fruit. Did she understand what had happened, that the act of disobeying God, caused hers’ and our separation from God? Up until this point Adam and Eve had enjoyed oneness with God, but this brought about a separation from God, a spiritual death.
Now God could have created Eve (and us) to be totally obedient, with no free will, then there wouldn’t have been "the fall". His desire was higher than that, He wanted our hearts. His desire was that we would come to Him out of choice, out of love, out of faith, and come to worship and obey Him. Another one of the serpent’s temptations was telling Eve, "your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Indeed after they ate of the fruit, scripture says their eyes were opened and that they hid from God because they were naked. When God comes to them they then play the blame game, Adam blames Eve, and Eve blames the serpent, sound familiar? Isn’t this our first response when confronted with sin? Temptation leads us to sin, sin leads to shame, fear and blame. Our desire for complete control or being our own god is the root of temptation.
Prayer for the day: Father God guard my eyes and heart from temptation and give me the wisdom to recognize it and the strength to turn and run. Amen.
Devotion Provided by Nancy Umbeck