Eve

“We have this hope, so we are very brave!!“ 2 Corinthians 3:12

Eve, oh Eve. I feel ya! How much shame did you feel after eating the forbidden fruit? How much pain came after, knowing your choice changed the trajectory of your life, your husband’s life, your family’s life?

Have you ever made a choice, whether you knew it or not (and let’s be honest, we usually know it), that would bring shame, guilt, and discomfort? Then later, you could see how much it changed your life…and maybe not for the better. REGRET!! We ALL have it.

Imagine being the woman linked with the fall, the sin that altered humanity, and forever talked about. It was necessary, but Eve didn’t know that.

Adam looked around for one like him in the garden, and couldn’t find one as he named the animals. God said it was not good for Adam to be alone. He needed a helper, someone to serve with him. So, God created Eve from Adam. God put Adam into a deep sleep and removed his rib and from there, Eve was made… and she was perfect, beautiful, full of life…just like the garden, just like Adam, and just like everything God created. (Did you know that the rib is a bone in the body that will regrow? Look it up, I dare you to be that bold.)

God gave instructions to Adam and Eve not to eat of the forbidden fruit from one of the trees in the middle of the garden. They could eat every other fruit, but not that one or they would die. God had given them the power of choice. It’s something we all have to this day.

Then the serpent came and tempted Eve to eat the fruit saying, “You won’t die, 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.” Eve saw how beautiful the tree was and wanted the wisdom it might give her.

So she chose and ate…then she gave some to her Adam.

In that moment, Eve’s eyes were opened, and she felt shame~ she had never felt that before. No, Adam and Eve didn’t die, but they were banished from the garden. It most likely felt like death, a death of a very intimate relationship.

Sit in this shame with me for a bit, right here in this regret… we’ve all been there. We’ve all done things we’re ashamed of, things we wish we could go back and change. I try and picture Eve, a few days later, a year later, years later. What did she think? What did she feel? What were her conversations with Adam like? Did he blame her? Did they argue and fight about it? How did they both deal with the guilt and shame from their disobedience?

But, and this is a big BUT, God didn’t leave them…He was right there. God loved them so very much and God had a plan of sending His son Jesus, who would die for all sin; Eve’s, Adam’s, yours, mine and all we have to do is believe!

Adam and Eve are the parents to the first dysfunctional family. Oh yes, Cain and Abel. Eve isn’t mentioned much after the fall, but the Bible does say that when Eve gave birth to Cain, she spoke of the Lord; “With the Lords help, I have produced a man.” Right there in those first 4 words, we see her hope…we see her clinging to God. And that hope right there made her very brave. Eve pressed on and kept going after everything she had done. Sometimes it feels almost impossible to keep going when we’re hurting. But, she did and God was there. He didn’t ever leave, He helped her.

And at some point, I believe Eve learned to forgive herself. God tells us to forgive, and that means forgiving ourselves when we’ve messed up big time. (We need to do our part and make it right as best we can…repent, apologize to those we’ve hurt…but forgive ourselves too.)

We can have that same hope, braveness, and forgiveness as Eve. We’re not perfect~we’re going to mess up… a lot. And hopefully as we do, we learn and grow and forgive and BLOOM!

But, keep holding on to that hope~because nothing you do, a bad choice or a really big sin can separate you from God’s love. He loves you so much, that He sent His son who became payment for your sins. That forgiveness is a beautiful thing. Let’s not forget it, but cling to the hope we can have in HIM!

When you get yourself into a pickle… remember Eve… you can have that same hope & be brave!

Lord God, help me to have faith to know that you love me, will always forgive me and take care of me. Help me to hold on to that hope, so I can be very brave for you. Help my life to be one full of choices that bring you glory. And when I mess up, remind me, You are working for the good of those who love you. You can take what was meant for evil and turn it to good. Create in me a clean heart! And thank you for your goodness, grace and love. In Jesus name, Amen.

Read

Genesis chapters 2-4

Romans 8:28

Genesis 50:20

Psalm 51:10

2 Corinthians 3:12

Blooming Challenge: Always cling to the hope we have in Jesus and remember it will help you be very brave… And, forgive yourself when you mess up too. Keep on keeping on, just like Eve.

All verses used were taken from the NLT Bible.