Good morning,
The
Bible is very clear, from the beginning to the end, that God created
people with a purpose. God created us in his own image, with the
built in requirement that we learn to love him as a conscious choice
rather than an enforced reality. All that Adam and Eve knew about that
part of his love was that he created a wonderful garden for them to live
in with only one limit on what they could do while living there. They
were not allowed to touch or eat the fruit from just one tree. One day,
as God watched out of their sight, Satan was allowed to show up in a
snake and apply the test. Satan began by asking a question that planted
a doubt. “Did God really say” got Eve’s focus on the forbidden tree
and made God’s command into a question mark. Eve knew the right answer,
but was not prepared for the direct accusation that God had lied to
them. Satan assured her that God was keeping her from a great treasure
that would change her life and make her equal to her creator. She would
be given the gift of knowing both good and evil. She was convinced,
and soon had her husband on her side. From there they began a long sad
journey through the rest of their earthly lives.
Their choice
didn’t block God’s plan. He knew all along that his Son, Jesus, would
come some day as a man to make payment in full for the sins that began
flooding our lives and our world from generation to generation. God
knew that there would always be people who would choose to live by faith
in his love based rules for life, and that their choices would lead to
an eternity of joy for both Him and his kids. God also knew that his
freely given love would be rejected and despised by most of the people
who would fill this world with pain. Their lies now are welling up like a
great storm that seems sure to show that God can’t be trusted, that he
is a liar, and that people who oppose his commands are really the ones
who will develop the right set of rules for living. Like Eve and Adam,
our generation has become convinced that we need more than God will
provide. Lord help those of us who genuinely love you to have the kind
of faith that shows our lost family and neighbors that our Father and
Creator can always be trusted to tell us the truth.
Genesis 3:1-
- - One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat
the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” - - -God said, ‘You must
not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4 “You won’t
die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will
be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both
good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced.
Roy Wisner
