Eve

Just like that it’s August and we head into Women’s Month! When I brainstormed the kind of women I wanted to write about this August, how could I not start at the very beginning?

The woman who had everything. A perfect life. Living in paradise, visited by The Creator himself. The first of her kind to be uniquely created by God.

There was coherence, stability and tranquility. Perfect sync between God and mankind.

Imagine never having to look around and be bogged down by comparison because she was the first! Now, I know if I ask you, “Have you ever been Eve?” your response would be, “Absolutely not!” At some point, I’m pretty sure we have thought of ourselves as superior to poor old Eve, who was partly responsible for the fall of mankind and being kicked out of paradise. The brokenness of mankind started right there with Eve. Yep. NO judgment there.

There are three questions that I considered when reading Eve’s story and if I’m honest, my answers did not please me.

1. Who do you listen to?

In the busy world that we live in, with information available at the click of a button, it is easy to stop listening to the one voice that matters most. The voice of God. Eve certainly didn’t have social media woes and connectivity issues but even in her uncomplicated world, she allowed herself to listen to a voice that brought destruction. All of Eve’s sorrows started on that day. Did she know what God expected of her? Yes. Genesis 3:2 reveals that Eve answered the serpent with what she knew was expected of her. Don’t eat the fruit or you will die. Even armed with this knowledge, she was still tempted.

Up to that point, God had provided everything that Eve needed to flourish. Satan’s enticing words drew her away from God and towards a certain doom.

It is nothing new. We know the word. We can even quote the word. We strive to live Godly lives yet somehow when voices draw us away from God, we respond exactly how Eve did. We choose to let ungodly voices drown out what the word of God tells us we should be doing. Notice this pattern then continues. Adam, instead of calling to remembrance what God had already told him, listened to his wife’s voice, and ate of the fruit.

God’s dire warning was for humankind’s own benefit. After all, why would God take his time creating man and woman and then issue instructions to them that would be detrimental to their well-being? Genesis 4:3-4 tells us the serpent convinced Eve that she would know good and evil if she ate of the fruit. I’m inclined to believe that this meant Adam and Eve only knew ‘good’ before they ate of the fruit. Doesn’t that just explain so much? Why this world has so much pain and sorrow. Why this world is filled with humans who behave in evil ways. Why there’s war, floods, famine, drought and events we just cannot explain. A good God created a good world and it was a disobedient act from his very own creation that allowed evil to enter the world.

2. What do you desire?

Now this is another question where I vehemently denied being like Eve. Have you ever desired someone else’s life? Career? Home? Husband? Wife? Car? Body? Skin? The list is endless. One of our biggest failings -wanting what we can’t have. The forbidden taunts and teases us and in our weakness we fall prey to actions and thoughts that lead us away from God. This desire to be like God was actually Satan’s desire. Isaiah 14:12-15 tells us that Satan’s desire to be like God was what led to him being a fallen angel.

Any good therapist would have a field day with that kind of projection. The devil wanted to be like God. What better way to wreak havoc than to convince God’s creation that they too, could be like God, if they just ate of the forbidden fruit? What better way to cause discord, upset harmony and distance God from his creation than by enticing them to doubt what he had told them?

Have you ever heard of some scandalous action by someone in your circle and immediately put on your self righteous suit thinking, “Gosh I would never do that!” The reality is even a wayward thought is considered wrong in God’s eyes. So you didn’t have an affair…..but you desired someone else’s spouse. So you didn’t murder…..but you thought if this guy annoys me one more time I could run him over in the car park. So you didn’t steal but you accepted a bribe. Or gave one. Just because Eve’s failings were on display for all of humanity to see doesn’t mean we are any less guilty if our thoughts stray in directions it should not. We can hide from our fellow humans but nothing is hidden from God. My wayward thoughts are just as damaging to my spiritual well-being as Eve’s actions in that garden so long ago.

3. Who do you blame?

The blame game started in the Garden of Eden. God questioned Adam who blamed Eve. Eve, in turn, blamed the serpent. This question didn’t take much pondering on my part. I am responsible for the decisions I make. Good ones. And bad ones too. Even knowing that his creation had disobeyed him, still he came looking for them. Even while they hid, he was intent on finding them. Sin causes us to run from God. He still comes looking for us. Not to assign blame but to offer us a way out from the downward spiral of sin.

God’s response to Eve and Adam’s actions is the same response He offers us today. Even while there were consequences to their actions, He still offered them the hope that a Redeemer would come who would restore the relationship between Creator and his creation.

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel. ~Genesis 3:15

Before God pronounced what the consequnces would be, he was already offering Adam and Eve a chance to reconcile with him, with a hint of someone who would come to defeat evil and sin because, Adam and Eve, you and I, have no hope of doing that in our own strength or ability.

God still comes looking for us, like he did in the garden. While we want to hide, ashamed and fearful when we sin, he comes to find us again because he wants to bridge the gap that sin creates between us and the Father.

For the lie that cost Eve her home in paradise-God sent the antidote. His Son. The Way, The Truth and Life. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

For every lie the devil whispers into our ears, Jesus offers the truth of his unending love, his infinite mercy and grace.

I so badly want to blame Eve for being weak. For not saying no. For dragging Adam down with her. For throwing away a good thing. The mirror shows me a replica of Eve staring back at me. Different face. Same sinful, disobedient nature. Same instinct to run away in shame. Same loving Creator coming to find me and remind me that despite my failings, he wants to bring me back into his presence. Back to walking with him, talking with him. Back into relationship as he created it to be. Loving, merciful, gracious and forgiving.