“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
Yesterday we saw how God’s creation was very good. We saw how we are the pinnacle of creation, being the only thing on the face of the earth created in the image of God. If only the story ended there. Unfortunately we come to Genesis 3 and the beginning of our brokenness. God created each one of us to live in relationship with him; however, that relationship came with boundaries. Think about any relationship you have. You have “rules” that govern and manage that relationship. Surely a relationship with the God and Creator of the universe also has these boundaries. God simply asked the first humans, Adam and Eve, to obey him and not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In Genesis 3, we meet our adversary, the Devil. The Devil came and tempted Adam and Eve, causing doubt to creep into their minds. The Devil caused them to doubt one of the most significant truths—God’s goodness.
Adam and Eve were tempted to believe that perhaps God didn’t have their best in mind. Perhaps God had lied about the tree and its fruit. Perhaps God didn’t want their best. Perhaps he didn’t love them like he said he did. What sad and terrible lies. Unfortunately Adam and Eve believed the lies of the Enemy and disobeyed God. Sin entered the universe. We became broken people. During this Lent season, we remember our brokenness. We remember that we are sinners separated from God. We remember that we are desperately lost without our God. How hopeless would we be if the story ended with Genesis 3? But we know the end of the story. In fact, God promised victory over this brokenness in Genesis 3. The first glimpse of the gospel we see is in Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.” Thousands of years later, Eve’s son would be born. His name is Jesus, and through his death and resurrection, he would bruise the head and defeat the Devil.
Yes, we are broken people. But Jesus is victorious. Live in his victory today!
Reflection
- Where do you find your identity—In your sin and brokenness or in Jesus?
- How incredible is it to know that thousands of years before Jesus came, God had planned to save his people! Take a moment to thank God for sending Jesus.
- Who in your life is stuck in their brokenness? Who in your life needs hope? Go today and tell them of the hope they can have in Jesus.
