Week 1
God created for us a perfect world. In one bite, it became broken.
Genesis 3:6 (NIV)
[6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
[6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Clearly, it is Eve’s fault. Others say it was Adam’s fault for not protecting Eve from the wiles of
the serpent. Yet the truth is, if Eve had not eaten the fruit, Adam would have. And if Adam had
not eaten the fruit, someone else would have. And if no one else would have eaten the fruit, I
know I would have. I know this, because I eat the fruit every day in small and sometimes large
ways. I choose to live in a way that is not according to God’s perfect creation for the world and
break the world a little more. I end up harming myself, others around me, my relationship with
God, and creation itself. This broken way of living is called sin.
And to add sin upon sin, I blame someone else for it. Adam blames Eve for giving him the fruit and God for giving Eve to him. Then Eve blames the serpent (who God also created). I can try to blame my parents, my spouse, my children, my friends, my coworkers, my neighbors, and the guy who cut me off in traffic. We can also try to blame God. But none of these people have forced our mouths open, put the fruit in our mouths, and made us bite down. Our sin is on us. Yes, we live in a broken world, but we make the choice of how we will live in it. Will our choices be for more brokenness, or will we choose for healing, hope and life – in other words, choose for God?
We choose for God when we decide to live the way he calls us to live, and also take responsibility for our own actions when we do not. Blaming others only digs the hole deeper. The good news is, God allows us to each make our own choices and continues to love us when we do not choose for him.
And to add sin upon sin, I blame someone else for it. Adam blames Eve for giving him the fruit and God for giving Eve to him. Then Eve blames the serpent (who God also created). I can try to blame my parents, my spouse, my children, my friends, my coworkers, my neighbors, and the guy who cut me off in traffic. We can also try to blame God. But none of these people have forced our mouths open, put the fruit in our mouths, and made us bite down. Our sin is on us. Yes, we live in a broken world, but we make the choice of how we will live in it. Will our choices be for more brokenness, or will we choose for healing, hope and life – in other words, choose for God?
We choose for God when we decide to live the way he calls us to live, and also take responsibility for our own actions when we do not. Blaming others only digs the hole deeper. The good news is, God allows us to each make our own choices and continues to love us when we do not choose for him.
Genesis 3:21 (NIV)
[21] The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
[21] The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
God still wants to be in relationship with us and with you – brokenness and all. We do not have
to have a perfect life before coming to God. Our only way at finding healing, hope and life is in
him. Again, he is inviting us to walk into his house today. Will you join him?
Time of Prayer:
1) 1 min – What is God saying to me through this devotional?
2) 1 min – What am I going to do about it?
3) 1 min – What do I want to say to God?
4) 2 min – Listen for what God wants to say to you now.
Time of Prayer:
1) 1 min – What is God saying to me through this devotional?
2) 1 min – What am I going to do about it?
3) 1 min – What do I want to say to God?
4) 2 min – Listen for what God wants to say to you now.