”Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”“
I want to tell you a true story from half a century ago that came to mind early in the morning on the second day of the New Year.
First, look at this verse above. It is one of the earliest stories of the Bible. The newly created human beings are embarking on the start of human existence and already…look at how quickly they turn from God. By the end of Chapter three, they end up ousted from the Garden of Eden. The beginning of sin was to question God and His goodness. Rather than obeying His commands, the serpent plants the seed of doubt.
On the sidewalk those doubts look like:
Why are you judging others?
Why are you screaming at women?
Don’t you have better things to do with your time?
Look at how little fruit there is…is this really worth it?
Shouldn’t you be helping those who are already born?
Share the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.
Her body, her choice. You do not know what she is going through!
Who are you to think God calls you to speak to women this way?
Etc….
We are in a new year. A time of beginnings. How will we begin this year? Will we give in to discouragement and doubt or will we fully trust God? Will our eyes be on all that God has supplied us with….or on what we do not have? Will we be like Eve and miss all the goodness God has given us by doubting it is enough?
Now the story.
I was a young woman (long long LONG ago) at a party with another young couple. They had a little girl, somewhere around 2 or 3 years old. We were sitting on a patio, and far across a wide expanse of lawn was a little shed.
The dad, Ed, saw that his little girl was restless and bored, and called her over.
“Katie, run to the shed!”he said, pointing across the lawn.
Instantly, the little girl took off as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. Her arms were pumping, and she was running for all she was worth.
“Faster Kate!”he called.
She nodded, and somehow managed to make those tiny little legs move faster. By now she was halfway across the huge lawn.
And then she called out, without slowing down, “Daddy, what’s a shed?”
I will never forget the trust of that little girl and her wholehearted obedience to her father. She had NO IDEA where he was sending her, but she was going to follow his instructions knowing he would never steer her wrong. He would let her know at the right time what a shed was.
THIS is how I want to approach the New Year…and really every year, every day.
TRUST my Father. Heed His commands without question. Do not doubt Him, because my knowledge is finite. Trust Him whose knowledge is infinite. Trust He will guide me. He will direct me as needed. I do not need to know anything but what He has told me and then follow the path He is pointing me towards.
And by the way, when Katie asked that question, Ed stood up and jogged over to catch up with her. He held her hand and explained the building ahead of them was a shed…
and then they ran there together.
0 Comments