THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
Christine Fornaro
Today’s Scripture: "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6, ESV
Theme: Desires and greed can lead us away from God and towards death.
WHAT HARM COULD IT CAUSE?
Her actions seem like such a small thing. Insignificant, really. When Eve chose to pluck that fruit from the tree, I wonder if she had even the smallest inkling of the ripple affect her choice would have across all time and humanity.
We can all imagine Eve, casually minding her own business, living her best life in the garden with Adam, not a care in the world. Then desire and greed weasel their way into her mind and heart by way of that cunning serpent’s suggestion. In just a moment, her decision to follow her own desires changed her relationship with God forever, and ours as well.
THE HEART WANTS WHAT WE SET OUR MINDS ON
Let’s take a look at the process by which Eve moved from desire to disaster. We see in Genesis 3:6 that Eve saw the tree in a new light after taking the serpent's suggestions into consideration. The fruit looked good to eat (It must be healthy for me!), it was nice to look at (How can anything that beautiful be bad for me?), and of course, one bite and she would be like God (Making my own decisions about what is best for me without God? Makes great sense!). We see the thought process that leads her to take action in an ill-fated direction. Eve wanted more than she needed. Remember, she and Adam had the entire Garden of Eden! Greed had set in. She now wanted the one thing God told her to stay away from. HINDSIGHT IS 20/20
Poor Eve (and Adam, of course) immediately felt the weight of her decision for wanting more than she needed or could handle. She brought new meaning to “seeing things in a whole new light.” Because of that bite, she now saw herself for who she was: naked, afraid, and alone along with Adam to navigate the choices of being her own god, deciding what was best for her, and not trusting her Maker to know better. Stripped of God’s covering, she was self-aware of her inadequacies, exposing the truth of who she was outside of God’s will.
Isaiah 59:2 (ESV) says that our “iniquities have built barriers between you (us) and God.” She, like us, was sorely lacking without the parameters with which God gives us to live and thrive. Our sin leads us toward death 100% of the time. In contrast, the framework (His commands) by which the Lord gives us to live is to give us life abundant, not steal our joy.
Make It Personal: Today, we have noted that our desires and greed can quickly snare our hearts, driving us away from the One who loves us and wants what is best for us. Our choices can lead us away from God when we choose our own way. Proverbs 14:12 (ESV) says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” But if we set our hearts on Him, we have the promise of Psalm 37:4 (ESV), “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Our hearts can algin with God’s!
Desires can captivate your thoughts, catch your eye, tickle your ear, and influence your imagination. Ask yourself today, in which direction am I steering my desires? Am I desiring the things of God with my thoughts and actions, or am I headed in a direction that will lead me away from Him?
Pray: Lord, help me to align myself to You. Remind me daily this week that the little choices I make can draw me away from You or closer to You. I know that what You want for me is always the best choice for me as well. You always know better than I. Thank You for being trustworthy, thank You for Your wisdom. May You guide my heart this week and always. Amen.
Read: Colossians 3:5; Psalm 145:19; John 6:33
Weekly Memory Verse: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:14-15, ESV