Genesis 3:1-7
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 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. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)
I had more difficulty coming up with inspiration or a theme for this devotional. No idea seemed to cement itself in my brain. Something always seemed to cloud my thought process. I will admit things have gotten pretty busy at work. With the onset of school and fall sports, it seems there is an endless call for my time and attention. Household chores persist. The grass is still growing. The fence may again go unpainted (though this year it has at least been started).
Any moment to sit for a minute and do something mindless or divert attention to something other than the litany of tasks at hand seems a welcome respite. But sometimes the quick and quiet moments turn into longer periods of mindless scrolling or TV watching. As a seasoned procrastinator it is easy to slip away to some electronic nowhere and “put off till tomorrow".
There are so many things in the world today to tempt us and lead us from that which we know is good and right. Maybe it is that piece of forbidden fruit held in the palm of a hand that offers knowledge of the world in an instant, or a means of escape into another reality, or a peek into the life of another to compare against our own. Maybe it is a flirting neigbhor, a can’t lose bet or a wee stray across the legal lines. The list of temptations is long and inherently individualized towards our own proclivities or dalliances.
In our verse today we are told the story of how Satan tempts Eve and she falters. The serpent entices Eve to the point she could no longer bear it. And it was so easy too. There is no story of ultimate sacrifice or great quest to obtain and eat the forbidden fruit. Grab it off the tree and take a bite.
In the process she brings Adam down with her. How often do we do that? Purposefully, or unwittingly, encouraging someone else to go down the road of sin with us. I can’t count how many times I attempted to deflect scolding by saying “but he did it too”.
Certainly sin today is no different from the sin back then. There are temptations that keep us from doing the important or necessary tasks of life. And those that keep us from being faithful or true to companions or entrustments. But ultimately, truly, giving into temptation is the sin that keeps us from God. It is in this moment that we turn from God and all God has given us that is good and instead focus on the thing or things we can not have. Just as Eve did. Just as Adam did.
But God gives us options to develop an escape plan from temptation. God's word is available to teach us. God has placed people in our lives that provide counsel to guide us. God gives us discernment to learn from lessons past.
Unfortunately, there are times we are unable to forgo the temptation and dive headlong into the sin. Thankfully, because God loves us, God also grants us forgiveness and salvation through the death of his son, Jesus Christ.
Questions for Reflection:
- What temptations are you struggling to hold off, to turn away from? How can you seek help?
- Who in your life can you help avoid temptation? Who can you forgive for sins they may have committed against you?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help us to be strong in temptation. Help us to focus on you, your Son and your word. Help us to do what is right and just. But, when we can’t, thank you for the gift of salvation. The gift of forgiveness. The gift of life through your Son, Jesus. Amen.
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