The Wrong Choice

The wonderful story set forth in the first pages of Genesis is all too short.  The first two chapters take us to a world which could be characterized as the first description of the Kingdom of God.  And, then all of a sudden the world of Eden and paradise is shattered by the intrusion of sin.  When we started the reading, there was no way to anticipate sin would show up with such horror filled consequences, nor was it anything for which we were prepared to encounter.  One minute we read about paradise and the next minute we see shades of hell.     

The story in the third chapter of Genesis has often been simply subtitled, "The Fall"  It describes a horrible moment of brokenness which is captured in those words of the Creator as He sees that there is something different about the way the Garden of Eden couple are acting.  "What is this that you have done?"  He asks.  (Genesis 3:13)  The relationship is shattered and though there is forgiveness and restoration, life will never be the same again.  The Garden once unblemished and untainted has been used as an instrument to express disobedience, disregard, and disrespect for the Creator.   

But, the sin which hangs in the evening air is not the fault of the Garden, or even the talking snake, but the fault of the man and the woman as they exercised a choice which placed their wants and wishes ahead of the plans and desires of the Creator.  They substituted a life of total dependence on the care and provision of the Creator God for a life of dependence on themselves.  It is a choice we still have not been able to shake and get out from under.