But I Like Fruit

But, but, but, but -- this is probably the most famous word for excuses.  Often, excuses are valid in the case of someone being ill or having an accident.  However, when one's dog has been blamed for eating the homework, and it wasn't done;  or, one was late, because he/she waited until 25 minutes before he or she had to leave the house to just make it; then, it is the fault of that person.   And then there are the times we make excuses to ourselves about getting a second helping or having that extra piece of cake.  Sometimes, it is hard to know if we are doing something we ought not do.  The bad looks good, and it gets confusing.  I wonder if that is what Eve felt in the Garden of Eden.  What went through her mind, as she disobeyed God?

First, let's look at the serpent of the field.  Do you notice there is a lower-case "s" used in the Bible, which leads me to believe there was an actual serpent talking to her.  God made serpents, and we always assume it was Satan talking to her.  Also, Revelation 20:2 says this:  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years...In 2 Corinthians 11:14, Satan is described as [transforming] himself into an angel of light  (KJV).  Therefore, I am going to propose that maybe he really is a serpent, because he is also called a serpent in 2 Corinthians 11:14.  However, whether this is actually his appearance, whether he actually spoke aloud, or he spoke to Eve in her thoughts is not the important thing.  

It is important to know the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. (KJV, Genesis 3:1a).  Therefore, we know God created him and he had intelligence.  And as he spoke to Eve, he lied...
Listen to how he twisted what God said, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  KJV, Genesis 3:1b).  And it was obvious Eve knew what God allowed her and Adam to eat.  She told the serpent, that they could eat from all of the fruit, except fruit from one tree.  Then, that evil serpent put doubt into her mind.  Some people would just say temptation, but I think that was that moment Eve began to doubt God's intentions.  And the tricky thing was, according to the serpent,  eating that fruit would make her more wise, like a god.  

So you know the rest of the story:  Eve ate the fruit from the tree, she gave it to Adam, and both their eyes were opened.  Thus, the fall of man occurred.  However, think about that fruit.  What does the Bible say about the fruit that man was not supposed to eat?  In Genesis 3:6 it says,  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise...she did the dirty deed.  What is interesting about this verse are three words:  good, pleasant, and desired.  This brings me to the final point of our devotion.

Image courtesy of [digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I think Eve thought about that fruit on the tree.  She admired the beauty of the tree:  maybe, she walked around it a couple of times.  And the more she looked at it, the more she wanted it.  In her desire, she reached out and grabbed that fruit, then gave it to Adam.  In that moment, she went from purity to sin;  and to top it off, she pulled Adam into her sin. Isn't is strange, that if everybody is doing it, it seems like our sin is all right.  Everything that is disobedience to God, from gossip to adultery,  probably starts in the following actions:  thinking about something that seems good, looking at it, and desiring it.  For instance, we may begin gossip by sharing information about someone,  so we can pray about it;  but then, we start talking about that person, then someone else starts talking, and so on.  We even get to the point, we cannot wait to share the little tidbit with someone else.  Somewhere, a line is crossed and untruths are told in the dissemination of information.  It seemed good, but it wasn't. 

The point here is that it is very easy to sin, and at the time it may even seem like a desirable thing to do.  However, anything that is disobedience to God is sin.  The result of Adam's and Eve's sin was long lasting.  They had to leave the Garden of Eden and mankind became a fallen being, apart from God.  However, God provided hope for the people of the Old Testament, and that hope has already come and paid the price for our sin.  Jesus, He is the Light of the World, the only way to be saved from our sins.  All we need to do is come to God, repent of our sins, and believe on His Son Jesus Christ.  God loves us and wants no one to perish.

Father God, thank You for making a provision for us to pay for our sins.  Help us to obey You and to walk with Jesus. Also, help us to be aware if looking at something we desire will take us in the wrong direction.  Give us wisdom to make decisions pleasing to you.  In Jesus Name, Amen.