Genesis 3:1-10
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “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.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
Some decisions that take a half-second to make have long-term consequences. This passage in Genesis 3 reminds us that a tiny mistake can cost a whole lot, and we are all reaping the consequences of sin that was invited into the world by Adam and Eve. As we consider our theme of “God with us,” we see here the original intention of God dwelling in and with his creation. He walked freely in the Garden with Adam and Eve. Imagine a world in which God is your actual neighbor — this is a picture of how life is supposed to be.
Here’s your freedom for today: God wants to walk with you every day.
God’s design is to live with us. Everything about the mission of Jesus ties back to that reality. God could not allow imperfection in his kingdom, so Adam and Eve could not remain in the Garden with him. Notice that God did not abandon them in the Garden, never to speak to them again. Instead, he removed them from the Garden in order to maintain his perfect world that it might one day be restored. Jesus came to be “Immanuel” in order to create a door back to that world. “Come, walk with God!” That is his invitation today. How will you respond?