Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that You were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.” Genesis 3: 9-12, NKJV.
Merciful God, we thank You for always being there to lift us when we fall. Come very close to us we pray, and help us to be steadfast in our commitment to You. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
During this week leading to Father’s Day we will take a few minutes each day to look at the lives of different fathers in the Bible. We will observe them in all of their humanity. A victorious life is a wonderful sight to behold – and it can serve as an inspiration to encourage us to excel. I also believe that the life of someone who fell down and got up, can also be very inspirational. The lives of these people can encourage us to keep on trying until we “get it right!” Today we will begin at the beginning, by reflecting on the life of:
Adam. The first man. He was created in God’s image and likeness, and came forth from the hands of the Creator a perfect being. He and his mate were given dominion over all of creation, with the exception of each other. Theirs was a perfect partnership. This was their kingdom, and it was lacking in nothing good! There was uninterrupted peace throughout this kingdom. That is, until, he decided to eat of the fruit from the tree that God had warned them, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2: 16b, 17, NKJV).
Their peace and joy was interrupted when they decided to listen to the “wrong voices.” The woman listened to the serpent, and the man listened to the woman. Any voice that speaks contrary to what the Lord has said, is “the wrong voice,” no matter who it is! On that day, they began to die spiritually, emotionally, and I believe, they would have also died physically, except, as I once heard a pastor say something to this effect, God’s amazing grace, was put into motion! Death was postponed for a later date. Mercy said, “Not yet.”
Nevertheless, he could not remain in his garden home, of which he was the steward. It was his duty to care for it, while at the same time, literally, enjoying the fruit of his labor. Now he must leave it, and enter cold, fearful, unfamiliar territory. He and his mate were sent from their safe, protected, environment, in an act of love – to prevent them from eating of the tree of life, and living forever, in the suffering, that sin had initiated.
Sin is so invasive, that it does not only affect the one who commits it, but those within, and at times, even beyond, its radius! It spreads its infection as far as it is allowed to go, and it usually begins at home. After leaving their garden home, Eve conceived their first son. This child, like every other child of Adam and Eve, ever since that day, was “brought forth in iniquity” and conceived “in sin” (Psalm 51: 5). In time Cain would lift up his hand and kill his brother Abel. I can only imagine Adam’s grief when he saw the horrible consequences of his sin. The pandemic caused by the virus of sin was now in full progress!
But there was hope for Adam and there is hope for every father! “I will send a Savior who will smite the head of the serpent” (Genesis 3: 15, paraphrased), was the promise given to our first father, before he was sent outside of the garden. For every father who may be feeling like Adam, hopeless, downcast, and discouraged, this is the message I leave with you: “God has provided a Savior, just for you – so take heart!