Stress Test Devotional April 27
April 27, 2024
GENESIS 3:1-6 | 1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
When God wants to build a world He gives the key role to a family, to Adam and Eve. But partnering with God and others is difficult! It requires genuine character and skill, particularly the ability to listen and understand. Every human being is a little world in herself or himself, a microcosm. In each of us there is a wild tangle of thoughts and emotions, some above and some beneath the level of our consciousness. Understanding ourselves is hard, and it is even harder to come to know others. Genesis Chapter 3 shows us the unavoidable mystery of human beings, whose actions are not always rational and often driven by unseen and unknown forces and motivations. Why does Eve listen to a serpent rather than God? Why did Eve not bring Adam into the conversation? Why is Adam so passive? Why does neither one consult God?
Do you see yourself and others as unfolding mysteries?
How good are you at communicating?
