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Ep. 18 Grace Before the Curse | Genesis 3:8-13 | Book by Book
Bible Study

Ep. 18 Grace Before the Curse | Genesis 3:8-13 | Book by Book

June 29, 2022

Hey there, today on Naptime Theology we are continuing our study of the book of Genesis by going over chapter 3, verses 8-13. In this short passage we’ll see God’s amazing grace to Adam and Eve directly after they had sinned. And it’s that same grace that reaches out for us too. 

Grace Before the Curse

Well, we are slowly making our way through the book of Genesis and here we are at Genesis chapter 3, verse 8. If you haven’t listened to the previous episodes regarding Genesis, please do so! They will get you up to speed and build a foundation for today’s episode about God’s grace. Last time we left Adam and Eve having just sinned in the garden and feeling the guilt and shame from their sin. They felt so guilty that they made a covering for their bodies out of leaves where they had felt comfortable naked before.

Let’s first read the verses of today’s passage… even as I read I know you will hear God’s graciousness to both Adam and Eve.

This is Genesis chapter 3, verses 8-13, and I’m reading the NASB version:

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him “Where are you?”
He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the women said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

God Waits

The first thing we see God do in this passage is… nothing. From the commandment in the previous chapter to not “eat the fruit or you will surely die,” we would expect verse 8 to say that God came down and struck Adam and Eve dead because they had sinned against Him. 

Now, that would actually have been a fair and just thing to do. We know from the New Testament book of Romans that “the wages [or the payment] of sin is death.” Adam and Eve did deserve death for what they had done.

But then, that is why we see God’s grace directly after they had disobeyed Him, He graciously did nothing. There’s not an immediate punishment of death given to Adam and Eve. Instead, the text says that God was walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

This was probably God’s MO, He would come to the garden and walk with Adam and Eve. They could interact with Him at ease and just enjoy being with Him. Here God is carrying on as usual instead of immediately enacting judgment. He is graciously waiting and relenting from the destruction that is due to Adam and Eve. 

And this is the very first instance of grace that we have in the Bible. This was actually new to me to see God’s actions in today’s verses as grace. I think I’ve often heard of Genesis 3:15, where God promises to send a Savior to be gracious, which it is. But I haven’t often thought about the fact that God waiting and questioning Adam and Eve instead of immediately destroying them is a great act of grace. And before we go on in these verses, let’s make sure we all know what this word “grace” actually means.

What is Grace?

To be clear, the grace in these verses is not what provides salvation because that is only found in Jesus’ sacrifice. But it was God’s grace that withheld Adam and Eve’s destruction.

So, what is grace? This word is used so much in Christianity. And so many little girls grow up with this word as their name. But what does “grace” actually mean?

Well, a simple definition is this: Grace is getting what you do not deserve. Or even simpler, Grace is undeserved favor. 

God, out of His kindness and love, treats us better than we deserve. That’s grace. He is constantly showing us His grace each and every day. 

We see grace in all good things that God gives to us. We don’t deserve anything good, only death and destruction because, again, we are sinners. But God gives us grace in our lives by treating us better than we deserve. We get to enjoy creations, food, marriage, children, and many other beautiful things in our lifetime. That’s all because of God’s grace. Because He hasn’t given us what we deserve. This is sometimes called common grace because it is available for all people in the world despite their sin, not just for Christians. Unbelievers also enjoy the planet and human relationships which are instances of God’s common grace in the world.

The Bible also uses the word grace in another way. First Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” This is God’s grace described in another way, as power for living out the Christian life. We see this also in 2 Corinthians 2:9 where Jesus says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” This is God’s grace working to help us in our lives. We don’t deserve His help or encouragement, but He gives it to us because He treats us better than we deserve. This is grace. 

But the ultimate, saving grace of God is found in Jesus. As I said before, we know from Romans that the wages of sin is death. We also know from Romans 3:23 that all have sinned. So we all deserve death because we are all sinners. But God doesn’t treat us that way. Instead, He made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. That’s grace. That’s why Paul said in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” Grace is the only way through which we are saved from the punishment or the wages of our sin. God treats us better than we deserve and offers us salvation by believing in His Son.

This is why it’s no surprise that John Newton, and many other hymn writers, wrote songs proclaiming God’s grace to the world, it truly is amazing. 

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.”

I pray that you have not only experienced God’s common grace, but that you have also experienced His saving grace to you that He offers freely in His Son. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” What grace!

And it’s that same grace that we see on display in our passage for today in Genesis.

God Graciously Seeks Out Their Repentance

Back to verse 8 of Genesis chapter 3, God is waiting. He comes to the garden at the normal time, He’s ready for a walk with His people, but they are not there. The rest of that verse says that Adam and Eve had hidden themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden.

I’m sure this is exactly what any one of us would have done. When their minds were opened to sin and tainted by it, they knew they deserved death. They had disobeyed the good command God gave them and they knew the punishment for it. So, they were scared. They probably heard God coming and panicked, getting behind the nearest tree.

It is ironic that they hide behind trees. It was trees that God gave them to eat from and one tree not to eat from. They ate from the tree they weren’t supposed to. And now, here they are, hiding from the great Gardener, in His garden, behind a tree. 

This scene is sadly comical because we know that God knew where they were. It must have felt like playing hide and seek with one of your children. They are “hiding” behind something that’s all too small to cover them and you can see them the whole time. That’s how it would’ve looked to God. Hebrews 4:13 says, “No creature is hidden from [God’s] sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” 

Even the leafy clothing that Adam and Eve had made and the strong trees in the garden couldn’t hide them from God. That is why it is so gracious of Him to not come directly to them in judgment.

After God has come to the garden for the evening walk and doesn’t find his people ready to walk with Him, we see His grace spring out toward them in the questions He asks.

God Asks Them Questions

God first called out to the man, Adam, and said, “Where are you?” Three simple words that meant so much. Herman Bavinck, a dutch theologian, said, “God did not withdraw himself after the fall, nor does he even for a moment abandon the transgressors. Their sense of guilt, shame, and fear is already an operation of God’s Spirit in them, indeed a revelation of his wrath but also of his grace… God’s grace is shown especially when God comes to Adam and Eve and seeks them out. He does not abandon them to their own folly but calls them back to himself.”

Here, God is not searching for Adam, He knows exactly where Adam is. No, instead, God is giving Adam a chance to repent. When he calls out for Adam and says, “Where are you?” Adam now has an opportunity to come out of his hiding and tell God what happened; he has a chance to confess his sin. In fact, if we read further in this conversation, God gives Adam three different opportunities to confess his sin. There are three questions that God asks: 1. Where are you? 2. Who told you that you were naked? And 3. Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?

But those three opportunities are not taken up on Adam’s account and he answers without repentance. To “Where are you?” Adam says, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” To God’s second and third question Adam responds, not in repentance, but in blame-shifting. He said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” God is giving him opportunity to confess his sin and he evades each one. 

Sadly, Eve does the same. God turns to the woman in verse 13 and says, “What is this you have done?” Again, He’s giving her an opportunity to confess her sin. But she doesn’t. This is her response: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” No confession, no repentance. Simply blaming the serpent for the sin she had committed.

This is truly the depth of depravity. The depth of the effects of sin. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, they were totally depraved. Sin had reached their core and changed them to be thoroughly corrupt and sinful. John MacArthur said in a sermon on this passage that “Depravity is a condition in which on eis unwilling to honestly repent… Depravity is not just seen in man’s inability to stop sinning. It is really seeing deeper in his penchant for avoiding repentance. Even when he can see the sin, experience the sin, feel the guilt, feel the shame, even when confronted by God, he will do anything and everything to deceive and evade and shift the blame away from himself. He will do anything to avoid God if he can, but if he’s finally confronted by God he will not acknowledge his own sin.”

That’s exactly what Adam and Eve did, they did not acknowledge their own sin. But instead shifted blame onto others. Does that sound familiar to you? Because we all follow this pattern as well.

We Also Hide Our Sin

We are often the little child playing hide and seek with God. There are sins that we commit where no human being knows and we think that we can hide it from God. But we can’t. Remember Hebrews 4:13 that says nothing is hidden from God. John Calvin says that “the difference between good and evil is engraven on the hearts of all, as Paul teaches [in] Romans 2:15; but all bury the disgrace of their vices under flimsy leaves, till God, by his voice, strikes inwardly their consciences.”

We hide behind whatever we can so that we can evade God’s judgment on our sin. But it is all in vain when we do that. God knows. But, as Calvin said, God works in His grace to convict us of our sin and bring us to repentance in Him. This happens in saving grace, when we first put our faith in Jesus unto salvation, but it also happens every single time we confess our sin to God and ask for forgiveness.

When we are God’s children we are saved forever from the punishment of sin. But we still live in fleshly, sinful bodies and we will have to fight sin for the rest of our lives here on earth. God’s grace, however, is always ready to convict us and give us forgiveness when we’ve sinned. Milton Vincent wrote in his book A Gospel Primer, that as Christians, “When [you] sin, God’s grace abounds to [you] all the more as He graciously maintains [your] justified status… When [you] sin, God feels no wrath in His heart against [you]. His heart is filled with nothing but love for [you], and He longs for [you] to repent and confess [your] sins to Him, so that He might show [you] the gracious and forgiving love that has been in his heart all along. God does not require [your] confession before He desires to forgive me. In His heart He already has forgiven [you].”

God is always ready to forgive us and we have no reason to hide. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God, in His grace, will forgive you so confess your sin to him. 

That is what God was seeking out when He questioned Adam and Eve in this way. He was looking for them to step forward and tell Him what they had done. And it’s the same God who seeks us out when we’ve done wrong. He wants us to run to Him for that is truly the only way to get away and get rid of our sin, by running to Him for forgiveness. 

So, yes, God’s grace is beautifully and majestically on display here in Genesis 3:8-14. And it’s no surprise that this God who so graciously calls out for his people to confess and repent would also promise the Savior to remedy all of sin in the next verses and specifically in Genesis 3:15 which we will look at together next time. 

What does all this mean for us today? We should be so overwhelmed by God’s amazing grace. It is there for us, as an ever-flowing river to wash us clean of our sin and fill us with forgiveness. 

We should also be able to see God’s grace in every day that we live. First, by being grateful for the salvation He’s given us through grace and that we are not treated as we deserve by Him. Second, by seeing His grace in everything we encounter and have in this world, whether big or small. We will never be able to comprehend the total majesty of God’s grace, but noting it in our lives in one way to give Him glory for it. I often pray that God would give me more grace to see His grace in my life and to know of my need of His grace. We need it every day and we must rest in it, rely on it, and grow in it as we seek to walk worthy of our calling as Christians.

And, just a short note to all you mamas listening. We have an extremely important opportunity to point out God’s grace to our children as we live life with them. Teaching them about God’s grace doesn’t have to difficult. Just simply saying, “That’s because of God’s grace.” as we go throughout our days helps them recognize that God is at work in all of our lives all of the time. And if you’re pointing it out and you have extra time, then share with them about God’s saving grace in Jesus too. Connecting what happens in our lives to what Jesus has done for us for your children is an excellent way to point them to God and His grace.

God’s grace is there for you, friend, just as it was for Adam and Eve in our passage today. Next time we will go over even more of God’s graciousness in Genesis 3:15 where He promised to send a Savior who would break the curse of sin.

If you’d like a resource that I’ve quoted from today or have a question, I’d love to hear from you, connect with me on my blog at naptimetheologian.com. Thanks for listening to Naptime Theology and have a wonderful day!

Resources:

What is Grace? [Ask Pastor John]

Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck

A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent

Genesis Commentary by John Calvin

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No Knead Artisan Sourdough Bread
Ep. 19 How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe | Practical Motherhood

Welcome! I’m Deborah. So glad you’re here!

Here you’ll find encouraging, Scripture-filled posts and Bible study tips. Because theology is for every mom! Get to know me here.

Here’s what I’ve written lately…

  • Ep. 19 How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe | Practical Motherhood
  • Ep. 18 Grace Before the Curse | Genesis 3:8-13 | Book by Book
  • No Knead Artisan Sourdough Bread
  • Ep. 17 Dressing Modestly | Theology of Clothing
  • Ep. 16 Snakes, Deception, and Clothing | Genesis 3:1-7 | Book by Book

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    Posting and ghosting on this one, friends! I try t Posting and ghosting on this one, friends! I try to take a long break from social media once a year and that time has come again. I'll be off for the rest of the month of July. If you've never taken a break like this, I definitely recommend it! I always feel refreshed and ready to encourage people again. You can read all my social media suggestions on my blog, linked in bio. July is also going to be a busier month for me... I'm out of town for two weeks and then moving to a new house down the road, so I don't need the distraction! But I'm happy you're here and I love connecting with all of you. Check out my highlights and feel free to send me a DM about anything, I will get back to you! 😘
    So, what is grace? This word is used so much in Ch So, what is grace? This word is used so much in Christianity. And so many little girls grow up with this word as their name. But what does “grace” actually mean?

Well, a simple definition is this: Grace is getting what you do not deserve. Or even simpler, Grace is undeserved favor. 

God, out of His kindness and love, treats us better than we deserve. That’s grace. He is constantly showing us His grace each and every day. 

We see grace in all good things that God gives to us. We don’t deserve anything good, only death and destruction because, again, we are sinners. But God gives us grace in our lives by treating us better than we deserve. We get to enjoy creations, food, marriage, children, and many other beautiful things in our lifetime. That’s all because of God’s grace. Because He hasn’t given us what we deserve. This is sometimes called common grace because it is available for all people in the world despite their sin, not just for Christians. Unbelievers also enjoy the planet and human relationships which are instances of God’s common grace in the world.

The Bible also uses the word grace in another way. First Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” This is God’s grace described in another way, as power for living out the Christian life. We see this also in 2 Corinthians 2:9 where Jesus says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” This is God’s grace working to help us in our lives. We don’t deserve His help or encouragement, but He gives it to us because He treats us better than we deserve. This is grace. 

But the ultimate, saving grace of God is found in Jesus. As I said before, we know from Romans that the wages of sin is death. We also know from Romans 3:23 that all have sinned. So we all deserve death because we are all sinners. But God doesn’t treat us that way. Instead, He made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. That’s grace. Continue reading in comments ⬇️⬇️⬇️
    Sometimes I’ve struggled with the practical side Sometimes I’ve struggled with the practical side of being a wife and mother. Not struggled to get things done, but struggled to find value in doing those things. I think I’ve always found more value in studying the Bible and knowing more about God. And, of course, those things are valuable! But in my head I sometimes separate the mundane things from the spiritual things. And then I see the mundane tasks I have before me simply as things I need to get out of the way before I can really glorify God by studying His Word.

But that's not biblical. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that we are to do all things to the glory of God. That means even my mundane tasks at home are to be done for His glory. We also read of the Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible. She had many, many mundane and normal mom-duties that she did each and every day. Her example shows us that those things are important things to do well for your family and that they are done for God’s glory.

I personally love bonding with other women about practical things in our lives and our homes. But I don’t always make the connection to having those things glorify God each day. Maybe it’s the stark juxtaposition between scrubbing muck off the floor and reading a 16th century commentary on a book of the Bible. The mundane to the majestic. That is sometimes a big jump for me to make. But I’m really trying to focus on God’s glory in every moment of my life, even the mundane ones. Because the reality is that He deserves the glory for each moment, whether it’s mundane or majestic. And His grace and regeneration in my life makes any mundane moment majestic. 

So I want to encourage you today, friend... The small things in our lives are not things we have to do before we can bring glory to God. If they’re in service of others, in service of your home, and quite simply the things that God has given you to do, then doing them brings glory to God. And that makes them important. 
.
Do you struggle with this connection too, though?
    A truth I've been mulling over and over again: "T A truth I've been mulling over and over again:

"There's not an hour that He is not near us; no not one, no not one."

I will wither and fade like these beautiful flowers. "What is man that You are mindful of him? And the son of man that You care for him?" (Psalm 8). And yet, Jesus promises, "Lo, I will be with you always." What grace!

No matter what we face, tears or triumphs, joys or sorrows, health or pain, Jesus will be there. Wherever we go, we cannot get away from Him. Even the remotest part of the sea (Psalm 139). Even if we are all alone, we aren't. For there's not an hour, not a minute, not a second, that He's not near us. No not one, no not one. ❤️
    I've recently picked back up the Gospel Primer by I've recently picked back up the Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent and have been reading it every day again... Wow! It's so good! Here's what I read today:

"Boldness is critical. Without boldness, my life story will be one of great deeds left undone, victories left unwon, petitions left unprayed, and timely words unsaid. If I wish to live only a pathetically small portion of the life God has prepared for me, then I need no boldness. But if I want my life to bloom full and loom large for the glory of God, then I must have boldness - and nothing so nourishes boldness in me like the gospel! The gospel gives me boldness first by banishing my greatest fear, the fear of God's eternal wrath. Indeed, Christ bore God's wrath upon Himself, not simply so I could escape that wrath on some future day, but also that I might be released from the daily fear of such wrath as I think ahead to judgment day. Because this fear hinders the ongoing work of God in me, the love of God continually expels this fear (whenever it appears) and nurtures within me a confident eagerness to face God on judgment day. Living in the daily relief of this fear frees me up to continue being perfected in confidence by the love of God, and it also serves to put all other fears, especially the fear of man, into perspective.

Additionally, the more I experience the life-transforming power of the gospel, the more confident I am in speaking it to others, both saved and lost. I know what the gospel can do in people's lives if they would believe the fullness of it, because I see what it is doing in me and in others. Therefore, I have increasing boldness to speak the whole gospel to others, even amid opposition...

Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazenness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. Admittedly, I don't deserve to be a child of God and I don't deserve to be free of sin's guilt and power. I don't deserve the staggering privilege of intimacy with God, nor any other blessing that Christ has purchased for me with His blood. I don't even deserve to be useful to God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have."
    Mighty God, I humble myself for faculties misused, Mighty God,
I humble myself for faculties misused,
opportunities neglected,
words ill-advised,
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways, 
my broken resolutions, untrue service,
my backsliding steps, 
my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus' blood
and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
unseemly behaviour, provoking pettiness.
If by unkindness I have wounded or hurt another,
do thou pour in the balm of heavenly consolation;
If I have turned coldly from need, misery, grief,
do not in just anger forsake me;
If I have withheld relief from penury and pain,
do not withhold thy gracious bounty from me,
If I have shunned those who have offended me,
keep open the door of thy heart to my need.

Fill me with an over-flowing ocean of compassion,
the reign of love my motive,
the law of love my rule.

O thou God of all grace, make me more thankful, more humble;
Inspire me with a deep sense of my unworthiness arising from
the depravity of my nature, my omitted duties, 
my unimproved advantages, thy commands violated by me.
With all my calls to gratitude and joy may I remember
that I have reason for sorrow and humiliation;
O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord,
that faith may adhere to him more immovably,
that love my entwine itself round him more tightly,
that his spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make him known to my fellow-men.
.
.
.
-- from The Valley of Vision
.
.
.
📸: Cirencester Church, Gloucestershire
    Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all who a Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." We need immense help with the weighty job of parenting and nurturing our children. So go to Jesus who promises rest. ❤️ How do you go to Jesus? Read His Word, try Psalm 1 or the gospel of John. Pray to Him, he hears you and will answer. Ask Him for help and rest along your parenting journey.
    Satan first just gave Eve a hint by planting that Satan first just gave Eve a hint by planting that seed of doubt: “Did God really say you shall not eat from any tree of the garden?” That’s exactly what the serpent does with us today. “Did God really say you have to put others before yourself or is a little more ‘me time’ exactly what you need?” “Did God really say you have to submit yourself to your husband even when you don’t feel like it?” “Did God really say you need to discipline your children with humility and kindness or is your raised voice understandable because you’re upset?” 

All it took was that one little question for Eve’s heart to decline from faith, as Calvin puts it. He is describing the fall and how that small seed of doubt planted by the serpent grew into sin. He says, “Eve could previously behold the tree with such sincerity, that no desire to eat of it affected her mind; for the faith she had in the word of God was the best guardian of her heart, and of all her senses. But now, after the heart had declined from faith, and from obedience to the word, she corrupted both herself and all her senses, and depravity was diffused through all parts of her soul as well as her body. It is, therefore, a sign of impious defection, that the woman now judges the tree to be good for food, eagerly delights herself in beholding it, and persuades herself that it is desirable for the sake of acquiring wisdom; whereas before she had passed by it a hundred times with an unmoved and tranquil look.”

Eve went quickly from looking at the tree without a second thought, to desiring it for herself. We see that in her first response where she has already changed what God originally told them not to do in chapter 2. She added that they were not to touch the tree, God never said anything about touching the tree. Do you see how quickly we can be deceived into thinking that God’s ways are not best? 

Read/listen to the full post on Genesis 3 and Eve's deception at the link in my stories.
    We only have so much time in general. But time wit We only have so much time in general. But time with your kids? Even less. I want to use my time to be with my family, with my daughter, serving them well and providing a happy, healthy home for them. There's no other place I'd rather be. I know I'm made to be her mama and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be with her. The Bible says that children are a blessing and gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). I pray I never take my time with my daughter for granted! ❤️🙏
    We don’t have to look far to find immodesty in o We don’t have to look far to find immodesty in our culture today. Simply switch on the TV, flip through a magazine, or walk through the grocery store, immodesty is everywhere. Our over-sexualized culture celebrates clothes that do not cover and garments that glitter. Clearly, our culture cares about what you wear. The art, music, and literature of today want to empower women by self-expression in scanty clothing. Their message is that it is more inspiring, feminine, and acceptable to show off our bodies than to cover them up, that shame of any sort regarding our physique is not appropriate, and that women should be free to dress however they desire.

The Christian must ask, “does God feel the same way?” “Does God care about what you wear?”

We don’t have to look far to find modesty in the Bible. In the opening chapters of Genesis, we find God as the very first clothing designer. Adam and Eve have just sinned, and they are now ashamed of their nakedness in the garden. They attempt to cover up their shame by stringing leaves together into loincloths (Genesis 3:7). When God later came to the garden and found Adam and Eve, He first addressed their sin, but then addressed their shame.

Genesis 3:21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” Their little loincloths were not sufficient to cover the shame of their sin, so God made them garments, or tunics, to cover up their bodies. This was not because their bodies were imperfect, rather they were exposed. The point of clothing in this passage is to cover up Adam and Eve’s shame, the shame of the first sin. They were naked, utterly exposed, and God gave them dignity by providing proper clothing for their bodies so that they were no longer ashamed.

We are exactly like Adam and Eve, stuck in the shame of sin. It’s not until Jesus stepped into the world and took our place on the cross that it all changed. 
Read the full article on forthegospel.org or click the link in my stories.

Does God Care What Women Wear?
    Yes, God uses snakes. ☺️ The first character m Yes, God uses snakes. ☺️
The first character mentioned in Genesis 3  is none other than the serpent. The text says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

Maybe this seems like a small question, but I had never thought about this before. Why did Satan use the serpent instead of any other animal that God had created? The Bible clearly states that the snake or serpent was already cunning and crafty on its own, that’s how God made it.

In John Calvin’s commentary on this verse, he points out that Jesus actually tells the disciples to be “prudent as serpents” in Matthew 10:16. So, we shouldn’t read this first verse of chapter 3 with a negative tone. Rather, Moses is highlighting an aspect of God’s creation in describing the serpent as crafty. And even though it’s Satan who is using the snake in this passage, remember that Moses is actually pretty familiar with God using snakes for His own purposes. We have the first reference to this later in this chapter to God sending someone to “crush the head” of the serpent in Genesis 3:15.

Then in Moses’ personal life God used snakes as well. In Exodus 4 Moses’ staff is turned into a snake to show God’s power to Pharaoh. Then, in Numbers 21, snakes attack the Israelites in judgment from God and Moses is told to make the bronze snake that’s lifted up and when the people look to the bronze snake, they are healed. So, Moses knew from personal experience what snakes were like and it makes sense for him to include this note at the beginning of Genesis 3 about snakes being crafty. 

That bronze serpent that Moses made is actually in the Bible two more times, once during the time of the kings and it’s referred to in the New Testament by John. In 2 Kings 18, Hezekiah has just come onto the throne as king of Judah and it says in verse 4 that “he removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.” ... Continued in comments ⬇️⬇️⬇️
    This is 27! 🎉 Pictured: 1) stopping to smell t This is 27! 🎉 
Pictured: 1) stopping to smell the roses at the oldest botanic garden in England, 2) finally learning how to do sourdough bread this weekend, 3) learning the laws of cricket as we watch Dada play, 4) drinking lots of water and meat stock (not at the same time 😆), 5) starting a garden with my friends!
Not pictured: the ups and downs of living in a foreign country, the frustrations and joys of training a 4-year-old, seeing God's faithfulness in little and big ways. ❤️
    I started growing a garden! Here in England there I started growing a garden! Here in England there are allotments provided by the city council so that residents can rent a plot and start a garden. I've really wanted to do one on my own, but decided that that would be too much work for just one person (who doesn't know much about gardening, mind you), so I have joined a couple of friends to work on a full-size plot together. It's about the size of a tennis court! We have already worked hard in the last weeks to get some plants planted for this year so that we can hopefully harvest some veggies at the end of this season. It has been a lot of fun and an excellent way to get outside more! Aletheia enjoys playing while we are planting, digging, and caring for our garden.
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As you can imagine working in the garden is already teaching me a lot, I didn't know much about gardening other than helping my family when I was a child. But it is also teaching me a lot about the Christian life. Isn't it kind of the Lord to provide hobbies that also show us about Him? Working outside day by day in the garden has made me think so much about this word: cultivation.
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Cultivation is a lot of hard work. You have to dig down deep, ruffle up the ground, and pull out all of the weeds and trash and old plants that are in there so that you can grow new ones. Isn't that a good picture of when you become a Christian? The Lord breaks up the rough ground in your heart, starts removing the junk and sin, and plants the fruit of the Spirit within you. All the digging has also made me think, what am I cultivating in my life? Am I cultivating the fruit of the Spirit? Obviously, they are called the fruit of the Spirit because it is God who works in us, but God does call us to "work out our own salvation" and to "walk worthy of the calling to which we are called." That means there's work for us to do as well!
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Making Bible reading a habit is just one way that we can cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives. That's why I have a brand-new Bible reading plan for you to join me in this summer: Psalms of the Summer 2022! Get it at the link in my bio (and stories). Today, June 1st, is the first day, so let's dig into Scripture together! 
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    Thankful for each person who gave their life for A Thankful for each person who gave their life for American Freedom. Remembering then this Memorial Day. 🇺🇲 

P.S. since I've moved to England, I learned that this tune is the same as the English national anthem, "God Save the Queen." So if you're a Brit, just close your eyes and listen. ☺️

1 My country, 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside
let freedom ring!

2 My native country, thee,
land of the noble free,
thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills
like that above.

3 Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees
sweet freedom's song:
let mortal tongues awake,
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.
    1. I am replacing coffee with bone broth, pray for 1. I am replacing coffee with bone broth, pray for me. 😩 I do think I am addicted to having coffee every day, but it's making me not sleep well.
2. Studying Genesis 1-3 is hard work! I used to think it was simple stuff about God creating the world and men falling from paradise. Turns out it's not simple at all. I listened to a whole sermon about how Genesis 1-3 are the most important chapters of the Bible! 🤯 I'm very thankful for Calvin's commentary, YouTube sermons, and my ever-gracious husband who answers my questions. 
What is your go-to drink? Coffee? What book of the Bible are you studying currently? Are you subscribed to my blog emails? If not, sign up at the link on my bio so that you won't miss upcoming posts on Genesis 1-3!
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    Two little lines.  . Two little lines and I kne Two little lines. 

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Two little lines and I knew,
Knew that in me was a little one: you.
Knew that the rest of my life would be different,
My time would go elsewhere, my choices would be rent.
There'd be laughter and joy, but also blood, sweat and tears,
Trials and triumphs over the years.

But how could I know in that moment of time,
How God would use those two little lines?
I didn't know that this life inside me,
Would humble me quick and force me to see,
That God is the one who gives strength to the weary,
He is the one who knows what each one will be.
He's had a plan straight from the start,
To mold and make His children have His heart.
Each part of our lives, even pregnancy, 
is planned by our Lord. Don't you agree?

When I first saw those lines I may have had doubts,
But Psalm 139 ushered them out.
Beautifully formed in the womb by God, 
This little baby was made to laud.
Honor and glory to God on the throne,
For this little one who made me her home.
I'm so grateful to Him for this journey of mine,
Though at times it's been hard and serpentine,
Each step has been worth it, I cannot deny.
And it all began with those two little lines.

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13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.   14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.   15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.   16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.   (Psalm 139:13-16, ESV)
    Let's talk about Lilacs. See this gate? It's the o Let's talk about Lilacs.
See this gate? It's the one I pull my bike and trailer out of multiple times a day. Each time, the flag that sticks up from my trailer catches on at least one of those slightly over-hanging branches. Now, I moved into my house last July and that bush was only green, I had no idea what it was. Every day since then I've hit it and tugged my bike flag past it just wondering why it's there, why no one has trimmed it back, and why does it have to get in my way as I head outside... Pretty annoyed with it, honestly!
Well, I felt pretty stupid about my on pettiness when one day last week, all these beautiful purple blooms opened up and now I smell the wonderful scent of lilacs each and every time I pull my bike and trailer past. This whole time I was frustrated and upset about one of the most beautiful things being in my way. Now I'm so thankful it's there for me to enjoy.
Obviously, I would NOT describe bumping into a lilac bush as a hard thing or a trial but it did make me think...
We go through hard things in life and then remember them afterward with sorrow or pain. But then God being the compassionate and merciful God that He is redeems those hard things and teaches us something new. Then we can look back and be thankful for what He's done in our lives and enjoy the gifts He's given through difficulty. This must be part of why Peter encourages us to "count it all joy" when we fall into various trials. He knew they would result in "praise, glory, and honor" to Jesus Christ our Lord.
    This is me, wandering through a 16th-century cathe This is me, wandering through a 16th-century cathedral finding where the light seeps through the stained glass windows. Maybe you're new and wondering how I got here...
1. Married the man of my dreams 7 years ago after meeting in college.
2. Worked full time for Joni and Friends while my new husband was in seminary.
3. Stopped working to stay at home with my new-born daughter after 3 years.
4. Started learning SO much as a new mom that I had to write about it in blog form.
5. My husband finished seminary and got accepted into Oxford University's doctorate program... Was not sure it would work out due to the vid.
6. Amazingly, the Lord saw fit for us to move to England and live here for a few years.
7. Now we run in any and every little chapel or big cathedral we pass... Most are breathtaking, not all have as much stained glass as this one though. 😉
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I am so thankful for all the adventures we've had so far here in England. And I'm thankful to share some of it with you all in these little squares on IG. I always seek to share what I'm learning, struggling with, and discovering about God and His Word (theology), Bible study, and motherhood. We have had many visitors to our little corner of England lately so I've been busy playing tour guide. I'm looking forward to a more normal week this week and getting back into our routine of school and housework.
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 What are you looking forward to this week? Let me know in a comment! Thanks for being here. ❤️
    "Gods don't become babies. He shouldn't." "You'r "Gods don't become babies. He shouldn't." 

"You're right. But Jesus became a baby so that He could grow up and die as a man to save you from sin."

"But He didn't have to become a baby, He could just die as God."

"No, He can't die as God. God can't die, He's God."

"Hmm."

No matter how many worksheets, activities, or coloring pages you do, the best way for your kids to learn about God is by keeping an open line of communication and talking freely with them about truths from God's Word. You will never regret being ready to point them to truth at every turn. But it starts with you, you have to know and find the answers in God's Word so that you can share them with your kids. Dig in, mamas.

I pray you have lots of opportunities this weekend to share with your kids about our Savior. Today is the day that we remember His horrible, tragic, and unjust death that would've been justly given to me had He not stepped in as a sacrifice. And then Sunday we remember, as we do every Sunday, that He didn't stay dead but rose again defeating death and sin. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 
55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
(1 Corinthians 15:54-57, ESV)
    #lifegoals. Am I right? 😭 I was so encouraged b #lifegoals. Am I right? 😭 I was so encouraged by this Q&A with John MacArthur. The full video is on Grace to You's YouTube channel. The opportunity to model our lives after Christians who are older and wiser than us is a grace given by God. Who is an older Christian that has encouraged you recently?
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#sanctification #christianlife #johnmacarthur
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