Today’s Scripture: Genesis 3:1-7
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
Today’s Devotional
I watch a little too many true crime documentaries. Robin thinks there is something seriously wrong with me. But, I find them interesting and I tell myself I’m exercising my brain by trying to figure out who the killer is and why they did what they did.
One of the things I’ve learned watching these documentaries is how sometimes the detectives investigating the case develop a story in their heads about what happened. Suddenly all the evidence they see “supports” that story – even as other evidence goes unnoticed or unprocessed. They “know” what happened and when something comes along to confirm what they think they know – it’s game over.
I think Eve had this problem in Genesis chapter 3. I think she (and Adam for that matter) was already questioning why God was prohibiting the consumption of fruit from this particular tree. I can imagine them hanging out by the tree just admiring it and saying to each other “it doesn’t look dangerous to me.”
The serpent then provided to “evidence” to the story they were telling themselves in their heads. “You won’t die!” he said. And that’s all it took. Notice that there was no arguing with the serpent – just acceptance. What he was saying fit the story they were already telling themselves.
We need to be wary of lies being told to us – of course. But just as important, we need to check the story we are telling ourselves. If the story is flawed – we are more likely to believe lies that come to us from evil serpents. We are more likely to hear those evil words as confirmation instead of fabrication.
Today’s Prayer
God help us to see the true story of ourselves in you. Help us to understand the truth of what you think about us. Help us to not be swayed by false words coming from others’ mouths or false stories coming from our own minds.
Amen
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