December 28, 2017: Day 3 – Genesis 3

There is a lot of ground here to cover.  Let’s begin by what is not mentioned in these verses.  We do not see the name Satan or the devil anywhere in these verses.  But we have associated the serpent with Satan and we feel secure in that association.  I’m okay with it, as long as it doesn’t remove our responsibility from whatever sinful actions we may take.

Do you notice what happens as soon as they eat the fruit?  As soon as they eat the fruit their first realization is that they were naked.  Now, that is a bit of a stumper for me.  God has created us in a certain way and our bodies ought not to embarrass or cause shame, they ought to be just another part of that miracle which is God’s creation.  But for some reason we are somewhat obsessed with our bodies and sexuality.  It all goes back to the garden where we became embarrassed and that embarrassment turned to shame and that shame turned to hiding from God, and hiding from God turned into creating idols which are addictive.  

God’s tortured cry in vs.9, “Where are you?” is echoed throughout Scripture.  From the prodigal son to the disciples who flee Jesus in his darkest hour, God’s call to us and is wanting to find us as we hide from him and create our own idols haunts our existence.  That “where are you” is a beseeching on God’s part to come back to him after we have run away.  It is not a threat to punish, although punishment does come, but it is a promise of restoration. It is a promise that God will make things right even if it means knitting garments for us with His own hands.  Our God loves us so much!