I love the story of Adam and Eve. Sometimes just go to Genesis Chapter one and read to chapter three and rest. It begins with the “In the beginning…” with awe and wonder. At which time I just close my eyes and let my imagination run wild. Also, I believe I would have done the same thing as Eve did. It must have been so fascinating talking to a large snake.
After they disobeyed they hid. The best part is God knew what they’ve done and where and why they were hiding. And yet, He went looking for them in the cool of the day. He called them, “Adam, Adam, where are you?” Adam’s response is the core of how to renew our mind. It’s this very moment that I saw how important it is for me to admit, to confess my mistakes – my sins – my fears, my shame to God even though I know he know exactly what I’ve done, and where I was hiding and why. HE know we are afraid and so ashamed of what we’ve done and came out lookinog for us.
Here’s the hook: He sent his angels to drive Adam and Eve out of the garden. To prevent them from eating the fruit of the tree of life. He didn’t want them live with guilt, shame and fear forever. A life of chaos forever is no life at all. God is, indeed, love and grace. He then made a promise to Eve that [your son] will crush the head of the deceiver – the serpent. This threw me out to the left field. Can you imagine Eve’s disappointment when her oldest son Cain killed her second son? Can you imagline living for thousands and thousands of years with guilt, shame, and fear? It’s a mess. A real mess and to think it’s all because of your choice to disobey. But GOD is so gracious, kind and forgiving. He allows us to cease living with guilt and shame and fear forever. He knows there have been times I wondered why I’m still here living with this thorn in my side.
John Eldredge writes,
“Intimacy with God is the purpose of our lives. It’s why God created us. Not simply to believe in him, though that is a good beginning. Not only to obey him, though that is a higher life still. God created us for intimate fellowship with himself, and in doing so he established the goal of our existence—to know him, love him, and live our lives in an intimate relationship with him. Jesus says that eternal life is to know God (John 17:3). Not just “know about” like you know about the ozone layer or Ulysses S Grant. He means know as two people know each other, know as Jesus knows the Father—intimately.
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