A walk through the garden

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above. (James 1:17)

Why was Eve so easily deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden? How did it happen that a slithery snake could convince her to take a bite of fruit when the Master of all creation told her not to? Did she forget who God was? I doubt it. Did she forget that he created her—that he was there to watch over her? Even more doubtful. Did she think that Satan knew more than God? We know better than that.

What Eve forgot was so basic and simple that many of us don’t even recognize it. She forgot something that you and I forget every day. Something that Satan wants us to forget. Something that God wants us to remember.

Eve forgot that only God can bring good things. James tells us, “So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above” (James 1:16-17). If it comes from God, it is good; if it doesn’t it is evil. It’s a truth that is as simple as it is profound.

Eve would never have fallen for Satan’s lies if she had internalized this one basic fact of the universe. She would have never eaten the fruit if she had remembered this principle. Adam would have never followed her into sin if he had thought of this one simple thing.

This is a truth that you and I need to settle in our heart and soul once and for all. Nothing is good outside the realm of God’s perfect will. Nothing will satisfy that he has not given us. Nothing will improve our life, make us stronger, give us hope, help us live, or bring us fulfillment outside of the things that come to us directly from God. No matter how good it looks, how good it sounds, how much it promises, or how harmless it seems, if God is not the One who brought it to us, we should refuse the offer and run. In the end it will only bring adversities leading to sorrow and sin.

Embrace this truth, and you won’t be deceived. Settle it in your heart, and Satan won’t be able to touch you.

When was the last time you were deceived by Satan? Would he have been successful if you had internalized the truth that only God can bring good things and defend us from adversities?

Almighty God! You know that I have no power by myself to keep myself. Keep me outwardly in my body and inwardly in my soul, that I may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 11:45 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.