The Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. Genesis 3:23

Living with the consequences of poor decisions can prove challenging. Yet it requires the same mindset that we need for every one of life’s eventualities: looking at my situation from God’s perspective rather than my own.

Adam, now outside Eden, begins the challenge of grafting for his welfare. Work is never a bad thing, for indeed maintaining the garden of Eden required work. Yet now humanity must deal with the inner knowledge that evaluates the nature of the work undertaken. Is it fair? Is it appropriately rewarded? Are my rights sufficiently protected?

Satan continues to whisper in our ear, ‘Has God said?’ In other words we are tempted to look in various directions to secure what we believe to be our ‘just desserts’, yet more often than not we fail to look to God.

Adam is working the very ground from which his mortal frame had been taken. Indeed our mortality is never anything more than dust. It is only enlivened by God’s Spirit. This same Spirit affords us the opportunity to look through the eyes of God at our every experience.

Our attention is much in demand, so we must choose to invest some of it learning God’s way in God’s world. Adam was at the starting gate and over time God’s salvation plan would unfold. God also has a redemptive purpose for your life and mine.

Our challenge is finding and focusing on it. We need to offer practical resources to empower and encourage your personal pursuit of God. Jesus is God’s Word and the Bible is the Word of God. I deliberately choose to meet Jesus daily in the Bible.

Something to Consider: How much work will you invest in building your friendship with God?

An Action to Take: Choose one resource that will deepen your friendship with God.

A Prayer to Make: ‘Lord, open my eyes daily that I may discover wonderful things in the Bible.’


Photo by Thomas Pierre on Unsplash


Used with Permission

Micha Jazz is Director of Resources at Waverley Abbey, UK.