EVER ASK WHY?

Devotional reading: Genesis 2

Devotional verses: 16-17

In Genesis 2, we find that God, the creator of all things (Chapter 1), provided a perfect environment for Adam and Eve to flourish (1:31). He placed the man in the Garden that He planted in the east, the garden of Eden, and planted all sorts of beautiful trees that would produce much fruit, delicious fruit! The Lord God instructed Adam by giving him a clear command not to partake of the fruit of ONLY one tree in the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “for the day you eat from it you shall surely die” (2:17). The Lord then creates the animals and then, by causing a deep sleep to come upon Adam, makes a woman from one of his ribs to be his wife because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (2:18).

“God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from a single tree. Why did He do this? Why didn’t God create a world where people couldn’t sin? Or why didn’t He make people so they couldn’t disobey His commands? The answer lies in the very nature of God. God is love and desires to have a loving relationship with His creatures. He wants us to respond to him with love in return. But a loving response is only possible when we have the choice to do otherwise. He wants us to obey because we love Him, not because we have no other choice” (John 14:15; 1 John 5:2).

PRAYER: Lord God, you are good beyond all measure and gracious in the manner in which you care for us. Your love is immense and eternal; we love you because you first loved us! Help us in our daily routine to express our love for you by being obedient to your will for us. Strengthen us when we are weak, encourage us when we are discouraged in the battle, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil; we pray. Amen.

*Adapted from Every man’s bible