June 2- Genesis 3

Introduction:

Here we are, in our spring study!  And for Maine, now that it is June, our spring has finally arrived.  I kid, but seriously, our last freeze was the last week of April, so we have some catching up to do!

The constant theme of my last year was, ‘but God….’.  It came up everywhere I turned.  And I thought, wow, I need to investigate this occurrence in the Bible, because if it’s happening to me, it is happening there too.  And wouldn’t you know it, there were tons!  So many expressions of ‘but God’, ‘but the Lord’, ‘but Jesus’.  Upon discovering that… I noted some of my favorites and decided I should investigate them.  And from there, a spring 2024 study was born! As we go through each passage, do note that all the passages I reference are from the ESV version, unless otherwise stated.

We will learn about ‘but God’ moments that are interventions or nevertheless moments.  Ultimately we will see them as moments when God steps in where there is no way, and He makes a way.  Because that’s who He is.   He is our interventionist, our nevertheless, the keeper of His promises.

June 2- Genesis 3

Dear Father, we come before You in praise and with thanksgiving for You give us our, ‘But God’ moments. You orchestrate our lives for Your glory. May we in our quiet time recognize You for who You are: our Lord God, the God of Israel.

First, do your own quiet time and 4R journaling.  When you are completed, come back here for the lesson.

Request God’s help

Read Genesis 3

Record a verse that stands out to you

Respond to God

But God said…

Welcome to the first day!  This lesson is long, but I promise, most of the others to come are much shorter!  So, let’s get started.   I find it interesting that the first ‘But God’ moment would come from the mouth of someone other than God. It was Eve who told the serpent, “But God said…” which really should have been the God moment.  That statement alone should have been enough for her, to jolt her memory and heart. Yet, satan is so very sneaky.

And aren’t we all just like that at times.  I think of my kids, or even myself sometimes if I am being honest, when they are trying to wiggle out of something, or extend doubt even while quoting what was said.  Offering that hand of, ‘ya, take what I am telling you and please twist it to meet my will.’  Like a seed of doubt had already been planted.

Our ‘but God’ moments can be thwarted if we are not careful.  If we distance ourselves in any way Satan will be quick to get his claws in there. And while he can’t steal us from God, he sure can keep us from His will!  I don’t think Eve and Adam’s fall away was too fast. Satan must have been whispering in their ear prior to this.  I could be wrong, and I’d love to hear some of your views on this, too.  But it seemed like he was pretty comfy there in the garden mingling about with the humans.  And neither Adam nor Eve seemed shocked that a talking snake was in their midst.  And their discernment, where was it?  Their lack of discernment led to them missing that reminder that fell out of Eve’s mouth, like it was said almost by habit.

This was a hard lesson to write and thus it was actually one of the last written. Because it seemed wrong to start the study off with this one, and it didn’t quite fit my picture of what a ‘but God’ moment should look like. And really, it was good to look at this moment, because God stepped in, in a different way with them in the garden than He did everywhere else.  (And wouldn’t that itself be a really cool study!)

‘But God’ moments are full of hope, a time where God steps in and makes a way when there is no way. Are they always life changing and earth shattering?  No.  Are they always met with open arms? Nope.  Are they sometimes missed?  Oh ya. This one with Adam and Eve wouldn’t be the first missed one.

Eve was so focused on the snake. If her eyes had remained on God, she could have avoided the snake all together. Satan is not afraid of a Jesus follower who has started to wander for he knows the land of wandering very well!  If some dusting is needed on your Bible or your heart, then well done this morning during your quiet time with God!  Spiritual housekeeping is a must if we want to stay close to our God!

“To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

Psalm 123:1”

(Further Reading: Isaiah 14:13-14; 2 Timothy 3.6 )

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for You alone are in control.  We praise You for You have defeated satan, You have crushed him!

What’s next?

As the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, share what He has laid on your heart.  Then join us again tomorrow for the next commentary.

My Verse: Genesis 3:3, “But God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”