The Crunch and The Cross

“The Lord said, ‘What have you done?’”   Genesis 4:10

With one crunch it all came crashing down.  A wily serpent, a weak woman, and a wimpy man all chose themselves above God and Paradise was lost.  They fell hard.  And far.  The snake wiggled away in the dirt.  Eve writhed in pain as she gave birth.  Adam worked the ground which was cursed.  And life—and death—as we now know it began on earth.

The sun never shines where the deceptiveness of sin is not a reality and where the labor required to bring forth life and make a living is not difficult. 

Adam’s first two sons example our dilemma.  Cain was unwilling to repent and return with a right sacrifice.  Instead he turned his wrath on his brother—not in a moment of passion but in premeditated malice.  Abel unsuspectingly followed Cain into the field and met his fate.  The evidence was buried, but God needed no exhibit to know the truth.  As fig leaves had failed to hide his parents’ fall, dirt did little to cover his own crime. 

Once again God came calling.  As before, not with an accusation but asking for an answer.  “Where is your brother?”  Like his dad, Cain had little to say but hell to pay.  The cycle had started, and so it continues.

But one day, the consequences of the choice will be reversed.  The wicked serpent will be wiped out—his head already eternally crushed by the heel of the Holy One, the pain of birth will forever be eclipsed by the joy of being born again, and the curse of the ground will cave in as graves erupt with life incorruptible. 

“Adam, where are you?”  “Cain, what have you done?”  The questions still come as God still calls.  We have no good reply, but He has the gracious answer.

With one crunch, all was ruined.
But with one cross, all was restored. 

 

 

Eve

“It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”   Genesis 2:18

Something wasn’t right.  No matter where he looked, everyone had someone - the doe pranced with poise beside the buck, the cow munched her lunch with the bull, and the tigress slinked slyly by the tiger.  Doves cooed together.  Swans swam together.  Squirrels scampered together.  But Adam was alone. 

Something was missing, but he didn’t know what.  Perhaps a rest would set things right.

While Adam dozed, God designed.  He knew the “what” Adam needed was really a “who.”  “It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  A rib would be right since this helper would be by Adam’s side, close to his heart, and in his arms.  So God extracted, and then He crafted. 

She would be soft—and strong.  One who would nurture but who also had needs.  She would laugh with her man and dance with him.  She would cheer for his victories and cry for his defeats.  She would share and she would care.  She would help him.  She would hold him.  And together, they would be whole. 

As Adam woke from his deep sleep, he was certain he was dreaming.  What exactly was this lovely creature coming his way?  God had brought each animal to Adam for him to name, but He had certainly saved the best till last!  (At first Adam was speechless but finally managed to utter an astounded, “Wow, man!” – which, when shortened, became “woman.”:)

In truth, Adam had much to say, for the attraction was instant and the connection complete.  He exulted in God’s gift and said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”  She had come from him, she would be for him, and the two would be one.  She was a perfect fit in every way.

He reached for her hand and clasped her fingers between his own.  A pair of eagles dipped their wings approvingly as they sailed overhead.  A duo of dolphins nudged each other knowingly, then dipped into the deep.  And Adam and Eve walked off—together.

Minus one bone.  Plus one beauty.

Small wonder guys think afternoon naps are divine!

Adam

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image….’”     Genesis 1:26

All was alive and well.  And good.  Planets twirled and stars twinkled.  Butterflies flitted and fireflies glowed.  A whale splashed his tail, and a shower of sparkling droplets dove into the sea.  The lion shook his shaggy mane and released a hefty roar. 

But the best was yet to come.

“And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” 

A little dirt would do just fine.  The Potter picked up the clay and began to mold His magnum opus.  Two arms and two legs.  Two hands finished with graceful fingers.  Two feet ending in ten wiggly toes.  Eyes which would gaze at painted sunsets and glisten with salty tears.  A nose to notice the flower’s fragrance and know when food was on fire!  Ears for the waterfall’s loud rush and his wife’s soft whispers.  A mouth to taste and talk.  A heart to pulse with life and love.

The man would not exist by instinct or impulse but would have the capacity to choose, to care, to challenge.  He would crave to connect and long to be loved.  Made with the ability to make up his mind or make someone’s day, man’s time would best be spent in relationship with God and others.  And unlike the animals whose lives were over when life was over, the soul of the man would never cease. 

The form now finished, it was time for grand finale.  “And God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.”  The special creature stirred and drew in God’s breath as his very own.  Energy from the Almighty flowed into his body and jump-started his heart.

He was awake.  He was aware.  He was alive.

It’s amazing what can be done with a little dirt.

No wonder God put man in a garden.

Light

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”   Genesis 1:3

The Artist began with a stroke of brilliance.  At His calm command, light came crashing through the gloom, dismissing the dark and illuminating the deep.  Golden beams bounded through the universe and filled the shadowy space with stunning brightness.  Unlike the rays of the sun, which stream from self-consuming combustion, the sole source of this light was the power of God’s word and the presence of His will. 

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” 

All life to come depended on this light.  Plants, animals, and people would need its warmth and radiance to survive.  Without light, they could not grow, they could not see, they could not be, and neither could we.

In every way, our life depends upon His light.  “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”(2 Cor 4:6).  No source within us can produce the power necessary to prolong our lives or perfect our souls.  We may consume ourselves and those around while trying, but only the Word and the will of the Almighty bring light and life.  Nothing can be, be seen, or be saved without this light, for the Word of God is the Light of the World.  “Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life”(Jn 8:12).

In the beginning, as now, God chose to not obliterate the darkness completely.  Instead He opted for separation – the contrast providing opportunity for the daily rush and then sweet rest.  But one day He will.  God will speak again, forever dispelling darkness and eternally illuminating His new creation with only Himself, for “the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp”(Rev 21:23).

Let there be Light.

God Was There

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”  Genesis 1:1b

It wasn’t much to look at, and no one was there to see it.  

This lump we call Earth was a wasteland.  Formless and empty and dark.  Covered with deep water and silent blackness, the desolate mass appeared stagnant and useless.

But it was not, for God was there.

Biding and brooding, the Holy One hovered over the surface.   His Spirit surrounded the stillness and enveloped the emptiness.  Although no potential for change lay within the matter, all possibility lived in the Maker.

Very soon, seagulls would soar in the breeze, squawking rudely at tiny crabs scampering across the sand.  Before long, busy bees would flit among bright flowers, sampling sweet nectar and gathering golden pollen.  In just a few days, the giraffe would stretch his lanky neck and nibble crisp leaves in tall trees.  But for now, no sign of life was stirring.  The shapeless something that was there seemed good for nothing.

But it was not, for God was there.

And you are not, for God is there.  

When you aren’t much to look at and no one is around to see you, God is there.  When your heart is a wasteland and your soul seems formless, and empty, and dark, God is there.  He is hovering.  He is holding.  He is surrounding.  He will envelop your emptiness and cover your chaos.  He is there – waiting to create a masterpiece out of your mess, and His Spirit will move when the time is right.  Until then, surrender to His stillness and rest in His Presence.

The earth was barren before it was beautiful.

And God was there – in both.

In The Beginning

“In the beginning, God…”       Genesis 1:1

“I just don’t get it!” my daughter exclaimed as we headed down the highway. “I’m OK with God not ending, but I don’t get how He never got started!”  I smiled—and offered no eloquent explanation for none of us have this fact figured out.  My child is not the first of God’s children to grapple with His dual infinity, but though we can’t wrap our minds around such staggering reality, we should gladly wrap our hearts.

“In the beginning, God…”  If you believe the first four words of the Bible, the rest is easy.  Creating a universe and causing a flood, shaping nations, shaking kingdoms, and showing up on earth as a man all pose no problem for a God so powerful He’s always been.  Healing the sick, helping the needy, controlling the winds, and conquering the grave are easy for a God of eternal existence.

Before space was shaped, He was.  Before angels were around, He was.  Before the smallest speck of substance was, He was.  And He always was.

We are too finite to fathom such splendor.  Too small to comprehend such majesty.  But while our perception is limited, our adoration is not.  The ageless God deserves endless praise.

Be amazed and marvel.  Wonder and worship.  Our God is big.  Our God is boundless. 

He always was.  He always is.  And He always will be.

“In the beginning, God…”