Category: Daily Devotionals

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.”  Genesis 4:1  ESV

Though Adam and Eve’s external world had radically changed from the perfect Garden to a cursed world, their inner life was still somewhat alive to God.  My hunch is that they missed Him, longed for Him, dreamed of walking with Him again as they did in the Garden.  They remembered the beauty of His character and the kind of love they experienced from Him.  How could you not grieve the memories!

Childbirth would have been so painful for Eve.  I’m confident she looked to God for help and strength. On the other side of the pain, she had to recognize that her newborn son was a miracle.  Neither she nor Adam had ever seen a baby before, nor could they have guessed that a tiny person would come from a womb. 

Probably hundreds of thousands of infants are being born as I’m writing this sentence.  Will each mother know that God was involved in the creation of her child?  Sadly, no. Will each child grow up to know that they are a unique creation of Almighty God?  Probably not. When a person lacks that knowledge, their self-worth is skewed.  The parents who spoke into a child’s life at birth shape that little person’s view of himself.  If the parents were atheists, a baby is perceived as scientific matter, not a precious life.

Let me personalize.  If my parents failed to celebrate my birth and hold me in their arms with wonder, then I will wonder at the meaning of my life.  I will have seen no evidence that I have a Creator who celebrates me. Not until He chooses to reveal Himself to me and open my ears to the sound of His heart beating fast for me, will I understand what it is to be cherished.

No one should have the right to define my worth except my Creator.  Not a parent.  Not a caregiver.  Not a child.   There is no such thing as an unwanted child in the kingdom.  Each birth is a miracle regardless of the circumstances.  Eve knew it.  Cain was the first son in a cursed world yet she could see past the darkness of her times to see the handiwork of God in the face of her son.

When it’s time to sign a birthday card for a friend, I often jot a note that says, “I am praying God will show you how HE is celebrating your birthday today.”  Just a glimpse of that will help right the wrongs of others who missed the miracle of their birth.  God can heal the gaping wounds of those who feel lost and invisible.

I am Your plan, Your creation, and Your joy.  Always was.  Always will be.  Oh, how You love me.  Amen

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was mother of all living.  Genesis 3:21  ESV

Dear Adam,

 What name will you choose for your wife?  Can you name her anything remotely heartwarming?  Are you feeling the pressure?   You’ve just watched your wife sin while you stood passively by.  You’ve both experienced God’s judgment.  You’ve both heard a curse pronounced on the land, on this beautiful garden that has brought you nothing but pleasure and the best of things to eat.  Life must seem like it’s over.  How does it feel to have broken the heart of your Creator?

And yet, you choose to name your wife, Eve.  It means ‘life’.  Really?  You can name her the ‘mother of all living’ in spite of your grief?  I don’t understand.  There is no way you could think this up apart from feeling some kind of hope.  You heard your Father, didn’t you!  In the middle of pronouncing the curse, He told of someone who will come from your wife…one to crush the head of the serpent who deceived you.  You feel the tinge of justice rectified?  You feel the ache of personal sin forgiven?  Your hope hangs on the God you know you can trust.  You know He is good for His word.

So ‘Eve’ it is!  When you speak it against the backdrop of tragedy; it is an utterance of faith.  When you say her name, do you feel anything joyful?  Probably not yet.  The grief is too recent.

Please know that all who live after you will struggle with the same challenge.  We will choose names for children who will be hopelessly lost without the Redeemer to come.  We will grieve for them, wondering if their cherished name is a mistake.  But we will trust the same God who walked with you in the garden.  We will know He can’t fail.

The one who crushed the head of the serpent is our Redeemer too.  Though we were born cursed, we are now children of the living and not of the dead, beloved and not despised.

Thank you for exercising faith in what looked futile.  In heaven, we will worship together at the feet of our Creator.

Inspired by you, I am your distant relative,

Christine

Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19  ESV

Cursing is when a supernatural power is called upon to injure something or someone.  In this case, God initiates the curse upon the earth.  Sin has brought about desperate consequences for the man and woman.  The very planet that God had created for them to subdue will now hold them captive.  The irony is that, in death, earth will swallow them up completely when they return to the dust of the ground.

The land still feels the effects of man’s sin.  It holds the memory of whatever has been done upon it.  God’s original purpose for His creation (including the land) was that it glorify Him, as well as bless and sustain the people He created.  But man’s sin defiled the land. If we are responsible for defiling the land, it follows that we are critical to the healing and restoring of the land.  If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chron. 7:14  Old Testament reformers like Hezekiah and Josiah repented and cleansed the land from defilement and they prospered.

In the Canadian Arctic, a very moving reconciliation ceremony was held between original inhabitants of the land and those who came afterwards to settle there. As the newcomers repented and rededicated a particular plot of land, they were overwhelmed with God’s immediate response. Although caribou (a mainstay of life) had been scarce in the area for nearly four years, suddenly 15,000 caribou showed up two days later. The caribou spontaneously gathered on the very spot where the land had been rededicated.

The power of God to heal and restore is released through repentance.  I encourage those who attend my prayer mapping training to pray through their homes, pray over their property, and if needed, repent for whatever has historically happened there. Wherever there has been sin, residue remains and the land holds the scars.

God longs to bless His children.  We must actively rule over every place the sole of our foot treads.  Many today, because of reading this, will spiritually cleanse their homes and feel a powerful difference as they experience a peace never before felt on the land they own.  God is true to His Word. “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.  “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain.  Joel 2:21-23 

You give me all the spiritual tools I need to live in freedom.  Visit and bring life to my land.   Amen

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.  Your desire shall be for your husband, but he shall rule over you.”  Genesis 3:16  ESV

The consequences of sin are far-reaching.  Because of what Adam and Eve were about to suffer, their relationship would change.  Where there was once respect and harmony and a complementary working relationship, they would now experience a deep fracture of distrust.  Little could they guess that because of their sin, a woman will struggle to respect the man’s role, and the man will be bent to abuse his authority toward the woman in his life.  The compulsion to do both will be in the sinful, spiritual DNA of both.

I hear the fallout every day.  “No man is going to tell me what to do!” a friend says.  And, “The old lady has me under her thumb!” says an acquaintance of my husband, Ron.  The fracture can be understood as man, by nature, struggles to know how to be strong without dominating and women struggle to know how to be led while still maintaining their strength.  The farther both are from Christ, the greater will be their distortions.

The only remedy to the friction between the sexes is for both to find peace with God.  A people without peace carry their anxieties into every relationship.

Is it possible for a man and woman to live as the first couple did in the garden?  The answer is yes, for the most part.  It will not happen, however, without each one coming to Christ for the cleansing of their sin.  And it will not happen without each one putting to death the deeds of the flesh and deferring to the life of the Spirit within them. 

I used to fear Your rule, Lord.  I was filled with distrust.  It has taken time for me to experience Your character and leadership.  Now, I’m putty in Your hands.  Amen

“I will put enmity between you {Satan} and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”  Genesis 3:15  ESV

  So many have had their heart broken by bitter vows and judgments.  “I’ll never forgive you.”  “You’re no longer my son, or daughter.”  “I never want to see you again.”  “I’ll never speak to you again because you said that!”  “You’ve gone too far and you’re hopeless!”

Ever heard those words?  You know you’ve blown it so badly that you’ve been told there’s nothing you can do to make things right.  Finding this hard to believe, you try everything to make it up to the person.  A parent, a boss, an old friend but you’re shut out.  Bearing consequences without any chance of restoration is cruel.  God does not ever do this.  He never inflicts hopeless despair.

Can you picture this scene in the Garden of Eden?  Things were absolutely perfect.  There was no disease, danger, or disappointment.  No famine, nothing bitter, nothing spoiled to eat. No hurt feelings.  No fear of intimacy.  Then the serpent came.  He lied, cajoled, and reasoned with the woman while Adam stood nearby and probably heard everything.  Doubt about the goodness of God was planted and the woman chose to explore the alternative path Satan presented.  Can you feel the weight of her choice?

Creation broke in half.  Immediately, she and Adam knew something horrific had happened.  I’m sure it felt cataclysmic and irreparable.  God cursed the earth, inflicted the consequences, but in the very same breath gave hope for a Redeemer.  From the seed of the woman, One would come who would crush the head of the serpent and offer redemption to fallen men and women.

Jesus offer Eden again to His children, internally.  Through Him, I am made perfect again.  I walk with His Father in the cool of the evening, just like Adam and Eve.  I get daily instructions for how to rule my Garden, just like Adam and Eve.  I ask Him, daily, for the wisdom to see through the lies of the tempter and He promises spiritual savvy.

The eternal judgment I deserve has been withheld because the Redeemer came and I trusted in Him for total forgiveness.  For every child of God, the kingdom-Eden, is here now. We need only look inside to Christ to live there.  And one day, we will step into a tangible Eden to live forever with our Creator!

You never speak hopeless words over anyone who trusts in the Redeemer You sent to undo what happened in the Garden.  Jesus – the name of above all names – is our Savior.  All glory to you, God.  Amen

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you…” Genesis 3:14a  ESV

 God is passing judgment on sin.  At this moment, a war commenced between what was holy and unholy.  Satan’s designs for mankind had been made public; he was one who seeks to devour and destroy.  Light and darkness would never live harmoniously together.  The two are antithetical.  Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be brought to desolation.” Matthew 12:25. Whether the forces of light and darkness fight in the heavenlies, or fight upon the earth, or war inside the life of every believer, the battle is intense and cataclysmic. 

There can be no good outcomes when a disciple of Jesus habitually sins.  What is the result when a believer’s light is dim, when some of his deeds are evil and others are holy?  What happens when God’s family sings together and then leaves to fight and gossip?   There is confusion as we send out a mixed signal.  The spiritual meal we offer others is void of salt and tasteless.  No one wants a second helping.  

In the garden, opposites were established.  It is God’s plan for His people to continue to draw a line in the sand with their lives.  When the lines are blurred, God is misunderstood.  People can’t separate who we are from who God is.  As we misrepresent him by living in the shadows of light and darkness, the world is repelled by a God whom they assume is also corrupt, driven by double standards.  Wary, they keep their distance because they reason that he surely can’t be trusted.

Satan is my enemy.  He represents everything that is evil and dark. 

Jesus is my Savior and Lord.  He represents everything good and glorious. 

I am a child of the Light.  As I live, may there be no confusion about my allegiance.

Make me holy as you are holy.  Make evil distasteful to me on all levels. Amen

Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”  Genesis 3: 11-13

Eve, herself, relayed the sequence of events.  The serpent deceived her.  That is true.  She ate of the tree.  That is true.  But she failed to mention that these two events were separated by an additional one.  She thought through Satan’s words and processed them to make a choice.  Satan was cunning but he didn’t make her sin.  She did that on her own.  And ever since that day, Satan’s presence and influence have been public.  Whether he is portrayed as a caricature with a pitchfork or is the topic of a serious bible study, people throughout the earth are familiar with him in some fashion. 

If a trusted friend warned me about a certain someone, I would certainly listen.  I wouldn’t get involved with him on any level.  Yet Jesus, more credible than any trusted friend, warns me about my spiritual adversary.  Despite that, I continually flirt with him.  If his customized temptation is perfectly matched to my area of weakness, it feels like I’m helpless to say no.  The truth is, I always have a choice.  When Satan’s lure is too strong for me to resist, Jesus promises something called ‘grace.’  My sin is without excuse, just like the sin of Eve.

Jesus is clear.  “Don’t believe our common enemy.  He hates you because you belong to Me!”  If I trust my Savior, I will put up my guard today and secure my armor in place.  I will not be prey to the ultimate spiritual predator, the one who preyed on the angels in heaven to get them to join his mutinous enterprise.  He is no respecter of persons. 

You came to destroy the works of this evil one.  You’ve told all of us that this was your mission. Jesus, I’m yours and I join you in Your enterprise, starting with my own choices.  I lean completely on Your grace. Amen

But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”  And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”  Genesis 3:9-10  ESV

Adam didn’t give the right answer when God asked him where he was.  Adam said, “I hid because I was naked.”  Technically, that wasn’t true.  He should have said, “I hid because I disobeyed you.”   Defensiveness was Adam’s default, and by extension, it is also mine.

There have been periods when I avoided God.  I quenched His voice when I could sense Him reaching out to me.  I kept the noise level high to drown out the wooing.  The more time went by, the harder it became to turn myself around.  Excuses were thin when I finally knelt before my Father.  “I was busy” didn’t cut it, and I knew it.  Like Adam, I tried to hide the real issue, but I also knew that the fracture in our relationship would never be right unless I told the truth of my detour. 

It’s a reminder that, sooner or later, every person who hides from God will stand before Him.  All will encounter Him as their Judge or as their Savior.   Those who ran from His presence because they were disobedient children will mourn their choices, and mostly, what they missed from being near perfect Love.  They will regret all the small things they hid behind, the exchanges they made to replace time with Him.  Those who rejected Him because they were enemies of the cross will also mourn their choices.  Like the rich man in Hades, they will see the expanse of an eternity before them that offers no second chances.

I can be consumed today with just a sideways glance of a mere acquaintance.  It will bug me for hours on end.  I might even obsess about it.  But, am I equally consumed when I sense that things between God and me aren’t right?  Of all relationships, this should disturb me most of all. 

Sometimes, I haven’t known what was wrong but when I asked, You showed me.  Thank you for all the times You came looking for me..  Amen

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”  Genesis 3:8-9  ESV

I love the sound of the footsteps of one I’m longing to see.  The closer that person comes, the more the anticipation grows.  However, I dread the sound of the footsteps of one I’m not longing to see!

When I was 8, I ate some Easter candy that my parents told me not to eat it.  They were saving it for Easter.  The next afternoon, I was playing outside with two friends and remembered the candy.  Thinking that it would be the perfect snack for the three of us, I snuck in the kitchen and snatched it.  Oh, it tasted good and delighted my friends. 

That night in bed, I heard my father’s footsteps come to the bottom of the stairs.  Then, the dreaded question came.  “Christine, did you eat the Easter candy today that I told you not to eat?”  I lied.  “Nope, it wasn’t me.”  Suffice it to say, he got to the truth and I was disciplined.

Dread is always the response to someone I’ve wronged.  Let it be an authority figure and the dread will be a ‘cold dread’.  Is there any worse feeling than seeing the lights of a police car in your rearview mirror after realizing that you just ran a stoplight?

In spite of their sin of eating of the forbidden tree, God came searching for them.  The heart of God is for restoration even though discipline may also be called for.  I don’t believe God came bearing the tone of voice that my father used, “Where ARE you?”  That usually means that you’re in big trouble.  I do believe God’s question was that of a heartbroken Father who asked the question in a way that conveyed, “What happened?  Where did you go?”

You might ask why I think this. I am basing this on the rest of the story.  As soon as man fell, God already had planned for restoration.  The entire biblical narrative reveals a God who pursues, who loves while spurned, who gave up His only Son to make a way for the disobedient and rebellious to come home.

To everyone who is running today, God comes searching.  If I am willing to come clean and admit my sin, I meet a Father with open arms, with a promise to forgive because of what His Son did for me at Calvary.

So much justice here is perverted.  The innocent are punished and we cry, “Unfair!”  But You, O Lord, know me.  Your judgments are true.  Yet, You came searching anyway for enemies like me.  Thank you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.  And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:7-8  ESV

Self-hatred is one of the most difficult things to conquer as a Christian.  When I mess up badly, I not only hate what I did but I often hate myself.  “I can’t believe I did that!  What a jerk!”  You’ve said that to yourself, right?  Can you imagine the self-talk in the Garden of Eden after the forbidden fruit was eaten?  Self-hatred and self-condemnation must have ruled their hearts.

Shame says, “There’s not only something wrong with what I do, there’s something wrong with me!  I’m deeply flawed.”  This has NO fix that is holy outside of the healing love of Christ.  He is the only One who says, “I hate what you did but I love you!”

What is Satan’s counterfeit?  “Love yourself.  You’re not that bad.  You may mess up once in a while but you’re a god!”  None of that is true.

I am a desperately wicked sinner but one that is infinitely loved by Christ.  When I sin, I can want – with everything in me – to punish myself but Jesus reminds me that He already bore my punishment.  He died for the awful thing I just did as if He were the person who committed it.

One of the meanings of ‘forgive’ is to send away.  When God forgives my sin, he sends it away from me.  He puts it behind His back and never takes it out again to hold it up to my face as a reminder of how bad I am.  He would want me to know today that I am not my sin.

As John Newton put it in 1725, “I am a great sinner but Christ is a great Savior.”  As long as I keep the focus on Him and the love He offers me, I am not plagued by a life-long struggle to forgive myself for something I consider unforgivable.

I can forgive others much easier than I can forgive myself.  Help me know how you love me in a deeper way.  Amen