As Eve opens her eyes, she hears a voice echoing an elated response. “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.”  Her strong husband took hold of her and their laughter could be heard all throughout the garden. (Can’t you just hear it?)

They took walks together and had many long talks and they were naked and unashamed. They were in paradise and they were in fellowship with the Creator, their God. There were no shadows in Eden, no disorder and no discord or fear. Until the day that changed it all.

Enters the serpent, the enemy.  He said to Eve,”Did God really say that you can’t eat from any tree in the garden?”  He goes on to say,”You won’t die. God knows that your eyes will be opened and you will be like Him, knowing good and evil.” Eve listened closely. She remembered how God’s voice brought her joy. Could she possibly be like Him? It didn’t take her long to challenge what the serpent said. She took a bite of the apple and then shared with her husband. Darkness filled their souls and order was now disorder and trust was now fear. This was not what she expected.

Then they hear the voice of their Creator. They ran and hid. “Where are you?” God called. “I heard You and I was afraid, and so I hid from you because I was naked.” Sin had formed a separation between them and God.  And God, with a heavy heart, had to banish them from the garden.

But God is still a loving God and, even in the punishment, He promises Eve children! I can only imagine that Eve was at her lowest point…the life she had known was totally gone—they were now having to toil land and look for food instead of the fresh fruits of the garden. But God is a God of grace. He is now and He was then. He never stopped loving them. Yes He judged them but His grace was abundant.

Where are you today? Maybe you are at your lowest. You’re in a great position to get on your knees before God and soak in His love for you. Maybe you are in the garden with Him right now. Your relationship with Him has never been better and you are walking so close with the Creator. Relish this time. Listen to Him. You’re in a great position to hear from His heart. Maybe you don’t know Him and He is not Lord of your life. Would you like to? If so, then I invite you to pray with me at the end.  I want to close with His Word.

From the fullness of grace we have all received one blessing after another.

John 1:16

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:20-21

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And now, if you are one of those who do not know this Lord and Savior, I invite you to pray this prayer with me:  Dear God, I know that my life isn’t what it should be and I know it is because You are not in it. I know I am a sinner and I need Jesus. I believe Jesus is Your son and He died to save me from my sins. I ask forgiveness. I want to know You more. Come into my heart and be my Savior. Thank You for what You are about to do in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.