Roadblocks



Pray: Dear Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank You for making a path from me to You. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that restores me to Your side as a redeemed child. Please use this time of prayer and study to bring me to a deeper understanding of Your love and sacrifice so that my relationship with You may only improve. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Read: Genesis 3:1-13a
http://www.esvbible.org/Genesis 3:1-13
 
Think about It: In the words of Genesis 1-2 we find the story of God’s creation of the entire universe, as well as of the first man, Adam. In Genesis 2:19, we are given a glimpse into the life that God and Adam had together during those first fantastic days. 

Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature that was its name. 

God has created everything and now He brings it all before Adam like a proud Father to share everything with this new son. Adam gets to join with God in the whole process by being the one who names all of the creatures. This brief picture gives us a real feel for the joy and close connection that God and man have together. Once Eve is created we have to assume that connection continues between the Father and the first two humans.  Presence is not a problem. You get the impression they all hung out together. Then Adam and Eve disobey the command God has given them. They eat of the one tree denied them. Even now we always want what we are not supposed to have! Suddenly that connection is severed and Adam and Eve’s first response is to hide, thus separating themselves from God. We’ve been trying to copy that behavior ever since that tragic day. 

Because of God’s great love He has provided a way for that separation to cease. He sent Jesus into the world to free us from that sin that has driven a wedge between us and God. We no longer need to try and hide our shame, for it belongs to us no longer. While our sinful flesh still tries to convince us that we need to hide from God and stay away from Him, the blood of Jesus completely covers all that would separate us from Him. We are free to seek His presence at all times. While our flesh tells us not to do that, our spirit knows better and seeks to draw ever closer to God. The battle is life-long (as Paul so clearly explains in Romans 7:14-25) but we are the victors because God has bridged the gap caused by our sin and we are free even today to walk with Him as His restored children.

Pray: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
According to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
So that you may be justified in your words
And blameless in your judgment.  Psalm 51:1-4

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