I had hoped to dive into Genesis Chapter Three the day after my last post – and I did – just reading it. To those in the religious circles, this chapter is a familiar one – one where mankind changed – walked away so to say.
It’s the chapter that tells the story of “The Fall” but I don’t consider it to be “The Fall” at all. Yes, it’s the telling of the event where Eve and Adam disobey God’s instructions and bringing sin into mankind’s DNA but there’s so much more in Chapter Three (at least in the sense of our modern labeling of the chapter and verse).
If you’re unfamiliar with Genesis Chapter Three and the events of this chapter, read it here. Otherwise, open your version of the Scriptures and take a walk with me.
But first, I must share something amazing.
This past weekend, I spent Friday night through Sunday mid-day with some amazing women taking the In Your Presence is Fullness of Joy! A Yoga & Contemplative Prayer Retreat with Ani Vidrine at Rosaryville Spirit-Life Center in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.
After my heart-hospital scare a couple of years ago, I’ve been trying to find ways to remove or lessen the stress I have in my life. Reading Scriptures is one way and I’ve recently begun taking yoga classes with my friend Nicole Green (Holy Yoga) and gentle yoga classes at Yoga Path, LLC in Baton Rouge. These have certainly helped and when I came across this retreat, I knew I had to go.
Before I had even registered, my friend Nicole and I had a private yoga training session where she had led me through a meditation exercise. It was an exercise where I had to imagine a scene that would bring me peace. The vision that came was one I often enjoy but don’t have time for – sitting at the edge of a lake. In this vision, as I was sitting at the edge of the lake, Jesus was walking toward me telling me everything would be alright if I just trusted and depended on Him. (I never told Nicole this.)
Also, for several months now, I’ve had a deep desire to go swinging – something I would often do when I would visit my grandparents in North Louisiana. They had this long rope tied on a tall tree limb with a board as the seat. I’d try to go as high as I could and would often spend all day on that swing. Then they moved, and my swing went away.
Anyway, upon my arrival at Rosaryville, after checking in before supper, I took a walk. To my surprise, behind the center, was a swing! Though the swing wasn’t exactly like my grandparent’s swing, it was tied to a tall tree limb. So, I sat and swung. {Insert John Anderson’s “Just a Swingin’” song here.}
But that’s not the end of my surprise. I look up and see across the yard, a pond {close enough to a lake for me.} Needless to say, the vision I had seen earlier was brought to my foremind and I knew I was meant to be at this retreat. Jesus was with me and I knew that everything would be alright – all I had to do was trust and depend on Him.
He didn’t fail me. He showed up again and again throughout the weekend.
He definitely showed up while I was reading Genesis Chapter Three!
It was Jesus that showed me that Chapter Three has more than “just the fall”.
“Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made.”
Yes, the Lord God created the serpent. BUT, God had given Adam and Eve the authority and power to name it and rule over it (see Genesis 1:26). Jesus showed me that when it comes to our “serpents” (those things that will tempt us), we have the Power and the Authority to name is for what it is and Walk Away. We don’t have to be like Eve, who took the serpent’s bait and disobeyed.
But did she really?
Yes, I threw that question in because as I was reading the event, God showed me something.
As often as we try to blame Eve for our “Sin”, it wasn’t until Adam took a bite that sin entered the world. He was her protector. Adam was the one whom the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil {I have taken liberty with the Scripture here reading it as the CSB writes it – I could be very wrong} and somewhere in the day told Eve.
So, when Eve was confronted, where was Adam? He was near her. Why didn’t he stop her? Why did he remind her of God’s command? Was this is failing? Was this his sin? Did she really need to depend on him to tell her not to do something? Did he tell her, and she did her own thing?
Is this what we do with our friends and spouses? Do we sit by and watch as they are tempted not giving them help or assistance? Do we confront them with their issues? Do we remind them of God’s love for them? Do we remind them that we have the power and authority to overcome the temptation?
Those are questions, some of which I don’t have answers for. I will tell you that I have been on both sides of this coin. People have tried to warn me, and I did listen but some (most) of the time I didn’t which caused me years and years of pain. No matter what went on – sin had entered mankind and since then we’ve been hiding from His presence.
While I was swinging looking at the lake with my Scriptures on my lap, Jesus reminded me that I’ve often hid from His presence. Like Adam and Eve, when I would hear him “walking in the garden” I would hide. Even then, God when looking for Adam and Eve. This is that Reckless Love Cory Asbury talks about. He left the 99 {animals and the peacefulness of the garden} to go look for Adam and Eve to be with them but they were hiding.
Why? Because they were afraid.
I’ve been afraid of being in God’s presence. It’s a scary place to be when you’re full of guilt and shame. Thankfully, God gives (and gave me) His solution to the fear.
Jesus – the One who died for our sins.
Believe it or not Jesus shows up in Genesis Three – and at lakes and on swings and at prayer retreats.
After God cursed the serpent, and before He told Eve she would endure pain during childbirth and that Adam would work the rest of his days, He gives us a glimpse into the future.
“He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
God at that moment, knew what He had already known since the beginning, Jesus would come to earth and strike the head of the serpent. God always fulfills His promises. He fulfilled His Word and will continue to fulfill His Word.
Like the vision I had of the lake, God takes His time in doing so but all we must do is Trust and Depend on Him. This has taken me years to comprehend but once I did, life was never the same again.
I’m not afraid of His presence anymore. I’ve come to understand that sin did create a “Fall” – it caused Jesus to descend from Heaven to walk on this Earth to die on the Cross, so He could be resurrected to coming back again. That day will cause every knee to “fall” and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, and no one will be able to hide from God.
Join me next time as I continue to walk through Genesis . . . you never know where God will take us.
NOTE: Picture of pond is from the Rosaryville Spirit-Life Center’s Facebook page. Photographer unknown.
Sacred Halak 