Recently K & I have been studying the book of Genesis. It's been a great study; we each read and study one chapter during the day (with our own Bibles and choice of Bible commentary), and then read it together at night and discuss it. This has been much more interesting than the average "couples" devotional.
One of the first things that struck me is God's overwhelming love for us. That sounds like such a "Sunday School sermon," but think about these three points, taken from Genesis 3 (you can read it here- but as a summary, that is when Adam and Eve eat the "forbidden fruit" and are thrown out of the garden):
1) Genesis 3:9 (after Adam and Eve eat the fruit) says, "But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?'"
God knew where Adam and Eve were. They were hiding. He knew why they were hiding. But He still went looking for them. He still wanted to talk to them. He does the same thing today. God loves us. He wants to have a relationship with us. He seeks us out. He does not abandon us. And just as in the Garden, Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Hallelujah!
2) Genesis 3:21 (right after God curses Adam, Eve, and the serpent) says, "And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them."
Even in cursing man, God took care of man. Even before driving them from the Garden, He was taking care of them. This is the first demonstration of God's grace in the Bible. And even when we sin, God still takes care of us.
3) Genesis 2:22 says, "Then the LORD God said, '... Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tee of life and eat, and live forever--' therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden...."
I always thought that keeping Adam and Eve from "living forever" was a punishment for disobeying. But think about this: Not being able to eat from the tree of life-- and living forever-- was for their benefit. Biological death is a blessing. If Adam and Eve had lived forever, they would have seen the consequences of their sin forever. As it is, they see in Chapter 4 one serious consequence: one of their sons kills their other son. Cain (the murderer) is then cursed to be a fugitive and roam the earth. So really, Adam and Eve lost two sons. By the time of Noah (which, due to long life spans, wasn't really that long after Adam died), the world was so full of sin that God destroyed everyone and everything but Noah and his family.
God prevented Adam and Eve from watching and carrying this guilt forever.
And that is just Chapter 3 of the first book of the Bible. God's love story for us.
Do you know Him? He seeks you. He wants to take care of you. And He wants you to LIVE with Him, through Jesus, forever.
AMEN.
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