EVE (4)

EVE: “to breathe” or “to live”

Week 3: The Gift or the Burden?

The Setting: Genesis 3:16, 20; 4:1-2, 25

Imagine: After “the fall” God says to the woman (Gen 3:16) “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing…” Is it just me or did God plan on childbirth being a pleasant experience? Can you envision a life being formed in you? Some of you already know what that feels like, but what if you didn’t know a sole that had a child? That you were the very first person alive to give birth, what would you be thinking? Eve gave birth to Cain first (Gen 4:1). The only person there was Adam. Now if you only had your husband there to deliver your baby, how would you be reacting right about now? I’m talking cutting the umbilical cord, washing and cleaning him, wrapping him up in something, and anything else they do these days. Can you see your husband not panicking an making sure everything that needed to get done got done, yet he has absolutely NO IDEA (because it has NEVER happened before up until this moment), what he is doing? Pretty sure Adam was freaking out a bit. If it was me, I’d think if the baby was crying right when he came out that something was wrong, not thinking, “oh good, he’s alive and breathing.” By the time that Abel came around, I think Adam had a much better idea of what he was doing, but probably not much more (Gen 4:2). When Seth was born, Adam had other women around I’m sure to take care of all of that (Gen 4:25).

Think about Eve:  She not only gave birth for the first time in history, but to the first murderer. That alone is traumatic, but then to know who the victim is…the first victim to be murdered is her only other child...I don’t know how I would feel or begin to deal with it all. Then to have your first born banished…not that you would even want to see him that often, but having the chance to is preferred. Time passes, Eve and Adam are thinking about trying again and they do try. Only to have another son and calls him basically the “replacement” to Abel (Gen 4:25). Not sure if my self-esteem as the “replacement” child to my oldest brother would sit very well with me. Eve’s parenting skills were new obviously, but seriously, no child wants to hear that.

Thoughts for the week:

Married Women:

1.    If you were in the middle of no where about to have a baby and the only person there to help you was your husband, do you think he would step up? Or a better question, would the child survive a delivery from your husband?

Single Women:

2.    Does giving birth scare you? Do you even want children and all that goes with becoming a mother?

All Women:

3.    What are the greatest risks in becoming a mother for you?

4.    What are the greatest gifts in becoming a mother for you?

Challenge:

Thank God for the gift of your own life. Thank your parents for having you. And thank God for the blessing, that only women can have, to create inside of each of us the gift of a new life. It is a miracle that any of us are here.

I think of it like this: It’s as if God touches each of our bodies and starts that new life for us because we could not on our own. And it is Him alone that chooses what happens to that child. How he or she is formed, what they will look like, how they will grow, if that child will grow…we don’t always know why things happen the way that they do, and may never know, but I have to believe and stand on: He knows best.

EVE (3)

EVE: “to breathe” or “to live”

Week 3: The Fall (Part 2)

The Setting: Genesis 3:6b-13

Imagine: You just had the most intoxicating kiss and now you want to share that moment with your husband. You see your husband and he’s trying to figure out why you are under this oak tree that you both know you’re not supposed to be under. You look back and the extremely handsome man is gone, so you turn back and embrace your husband. He pulls back to look at you and you say, “Love, I have something delectable for you to taste.” Your husband stands confused and asks, “What could be delectable under here?” You tell him, “Taste it for yourself.” He follows you under the tree and you give him an enticing look on your face. You gaze at him for just a moment noticing something in him that you haven’t seen before and plant one on him. Unable to control yourself now, you continue to kiss him. One thing leads to another and here you are undressing him and him undressing you. Then a cold breeze comes through the leaves and you are both startled because you hear your father coming. Both of you go behind the tree and hid. Your father calls out, “Where are you son?” Your husband answered, “I heard you in the field and I was afraid because I…was…I was naked; so I hid.” Your father said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you go under the oak tree I told you not to go under?” Your husband begins with, “Dad, see what had happen was…the woman that you gave me brought me under it and kissed me.” Then Daddy comes looking at you and says, “My child, what have you done?” You say, “This gorgeous man lead me right to it Daddy and he kissed me.”*

Two major flaws happened with Eve after she ate the fruit:

a.)   She shared the fruit with her husband

b.)   Then she tried to blame it all on the serpent.

Women, we are physically, emotionally, and spiritual driven. Liz Curtis Higgs states in her book, Bad Girls of the Bible, “The serpent not only appealed to her physical appetite for food, but her emotional appreciation of beauty, and her spiritual desire to be like God.” Nothing has changed. The devil is still using the same plans he used on Eve on us. He just relentless and will continue till we fall down.

Read 1 John 2:16

If it’s not enough that we share our sin with others, but then we blame it on others when they share it with us. As children, we were either tattling on our siblings and blaming them for our hurts and pains or we were bringing them along into our schemes. Either way, we’re wrong in it. Taking responsibility is hard, but blaming others only hurt those relationships we treasure so dear. Look closely at Adam here in Gen 3:12, he not only blames Eve, but he blames God for bringing her to him. Adam loved God, yet he had wanted to put the blame somewhere other than himself. The same went for Eve. She blamed the serpent for all of her problems.

Thoughts for the week:

1. Have you ever tried to physically cover up your sin? How did that work out?

2. Who do you blame first when you make a mistake: friends? Family? Your kids? Your job? Your finances? The devil? God?

Challenge:

This Thanksgiving weekend, when you get into a heated discussion, which is bound to happen with family and friends around, take the blame. Forgive them right there on the spot and take the load.

If you’re reading this after Thanksgiving, I suggest a phone call to mend any disagreements that happened over the holidays. It’s amazing what a phone call of, “I’m sorry,” can do in our relationships.

Even when we don’t think we were wrong…ladies, we do tend to think we are right and men are delusional at times…so if it was your husband, love him anyway and if it was friends or another family member forgive them. Be thankful for them because they are alive. Many of us I know don’t have family around this year that were around last year or years past. So I just wanted to let you all know how much of a blessing you are all to me. Thank you for being apart of my life…I thank the Lord for your hearts…love you.

*Altered story from: Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs

EVE (2)

EVE: “to breathe” or “to live”

Week 2: The Fall (Part 1)

The Setting: Genesis 3:1-6a

Imagine: You’re at your wedding day ladies and everything is perfect. Your father has gone all out for you his daughter. He has not only paid for the whole wedding, he was the one who first introduced you to your husband. He has asked only one thing of you from the beginning, don’t go under the big oak tree in the middle of the estate or you will be dead to me. You don’t think much of it because there was no reason to go over to that ugly old oak tree. You take some air outside from all of the guests and a very attractive man comes to great you. He is cunning and clever; he manages to take you on a stroll to the middle of the estate with his easy conversation. He asks you, “Did your father really say, ‘You shouldn’t go under the big oak tree’?” You say, “We can go under any of the other trees, but ‘you must not go under the big oak tree in the middle of the estate and not touch it or you will be dead to me’.” The utterly gorgeous man’s lips start moving, “You will not be dead to him. Your father loves you. He just doesn’t want you know everything that he does.” You start to blush because of his smile. The handsome man continues, “Under the tree is something extremely delicious, see?” You have just realized you are right under the oak tree and mesmerized by this enchanting man. You know you are not supposed to be there. You are there and want to be. The man pressed his lips on yours, just for a moment, but it was warm, gentle, and above all, very very sweet. You are overwhelmed with emotions you don’t know how to describe. The stunning man says, “That was called a kiss.” You think to yourself, “I’m alive. I’m ankle deep in mud from the walk over here, but I’m alive. That tasted so good, better than any fruit I’ve ever tried. Ohh, I want to share this with my husband.”*

Devil is quite the charmer. Now obviously this version is a bit altered, but gives a nice view on how the deceptive the devil can be. Author, Liz Curtis Higgs, quotes Shakespeare in her book, Bad Girls of the Bible, “The prince of darkness is a gentleman.” He is. He comes to us in a form that we actually like. Sometimes by people we truly like and love, but don’t have the right intentions for us. Satan not only lies to us, but misquotes God so that we question ourselves on what exactly God has told us in his word. That’s what he’s done from the beginning with Eve and today with each of us on a daily basis. àSee Gen 3:2

Poor Eve tried even to defend what the Father told her, but to even have a conversation with Satan was her first oversight. Author Rose Sallberg Kam wrote, “Like a theologian, she analyzes the serpent’s arguments; like a lawyer she enters into debate.” What makes things worse is when Eve tries to quote back what her Father said, and she get’s it wrong! She added to it. God never said “Not to touch it.” Higgs says, “When we exaggerate God’s Word we sow seeds of doubt in the minds of others—Did God really say that other thing?—and in our own mind—Maybe God’s words need my help.” àSee Gen 3:4

Jesus says in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.” The devil didn’t say anything like that or even attempt to make a promise. Higgs writes, “He (Satan) didn’t offer the woman life, let alone life after death; the serpent offered the woman knowledge—a knowledge which led to death. That was God’s promise too, but the woman’s eyes were no longer on God; they were on herself.” Satan says two critical things: First, your eyes will be opened. Second, you will be like God. I’m sure the first thing I would have been thinking if I was Eve is, how could I be missing out on something? I thought my dad gave me everything I needed? Pretty sure I’d want to know what I was missing out on. Eve sure did. But she should have asked God. We should be asking God to open our eyes, not allowing the world or more specifically the media to open it for us. I’m sure Eve though being like God could be the most incredible thought she ever had up to that moment. I mean what she knew of her Father was all good, beautiful, loving, and knows everything. Who wouldn’t want to be like him? Bad idea, He is also all powerful, created you so in turn could get rid of you, but she didn’t know that. Ohh, wait she did because he said “YOU WILL SURELY DIE!” àSee Gen 3:5

Eve is killing me here. She wasn’t looking to God for the truth. She wasn’t talking to Adam to see what he thought (uhh, seek wise counsel mean anything to you…or just talk to your husband?). And she wasn’t looking at what she already had around her. Satan doesn’t speak again. He just watches her fall now. At this point, Eve has a choice: to eat this very enticing piece of fruit or RUN for Daddy and Adam. àSee Gen 3:6a

Thoughts for the week:

1. Have you ever gotten in to a conversation about the bible with someone and they quote the bible and you wonder if that is exactly what it says? What did you do? Share your story

2. What do you want more of right now physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Are they focused on the Word of God and His will?

3. Have you ever been in a situation where you know you were not supposed to be in and could have stopped yourself but didn’t? How did you feel? Have you ever been able to stop? How does that feel?

Challenge:

Examine your life one day this week and see where you desire the most physically (food/workouts/a lack there of), emotionally (our moods/who we love/how we love), and spiritually (our worship time/our prayer life/the Word). After you evaluate yourself, notice the areas you want to change and devote a day to just those areas.

*Altered story from: Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs

EVE (1)

EVE: “to breathe” or “to live”

Week 1: The Garden

The Setting: Genesis 1:26-31; 2:21-25

Think back on your most indescribable, speechless, flooded by His presence moment with God.

Do you have it?

Now multiply that by the moment you were born, times that by a trillion, and you still won’t come close to the moment life was breathed into Eve and her waking up for the first time next to God himself.

Imagine: You just woke up from the best sleep you’ve ever had, the sun is beaming down on you, the temperature outside is perfect with just a slight breeze, and an overwhelming amount of joy is surrounding your every movement. You are refreshed and by your Maker alone, you know who you are, where you are, and why you are here. Your father takes your hand (as if down the aisle), leads you to the man from which you were created from & for, and he starts to speak to you (sounds like vows to me). God ends this very first picture of “man & wife” with such a great magnitude of love, your innocence for one another is unimaginable; so much so, you don’t even realize how bare you really are. It is truly Heaven on Earth.

Are you daydreaming about heaven yet like me now? Now without jumping ahead to the rest of Eve’s life, stay here in man’s purest form. I find it interesting that even before Eve was created, females existed (Gen 1: 27). God knew even before he created Adam that He was going to create a woman for Adam out of him. It wasn’t until the next day that Adam realized he didn’t have someone like all of the living creatures he was naming did. He was missing something in his life (Gen 2:20b). I can see him now, “God, why does everything that I am naming have someone and I don’t?” God just smiles, has Adam lay down, the head anesthesiologist knocks him out, and He begins the first surgery.

Thoughts for the week:

1.    Can you imagine yourself as Eve, being that close to God, what do you think her first reactions were after breathing her first breath in?

2.    How different would your life be if you let go and trusted God with every part of your life? So much so, that you wouldn’t be worrying about what the day will bring? Or who or when your future spouse will come? Or if you’re in the right job right now? Or the right city?

3.    Do you think Adam thought he was missing out on something by not having a “helper” because he was just jealous of the creatures around him or think he knew he was supposed to have Eve from the beginning?

Challenge:

As you wake up each morning, take time to dwell in His presence so that you can have a refreshing of God’s breathe through you so the vastness of His love intoxicates you throughout each cell of your body; where only joy then can spill out into your day creating Heaven on Earth.