The First Glimpse (A New You #2) - Monday Morning Devotion
In this season of resolutions and "becoming a new person," we invite you to join us on a journey in the seven weeks leading to Lent. Come and discover more about the baby we celebrated in the manger.
Just like you, this baby is more than what he seems. And as mysterious as that sounds, it is all expained and laid out for us in God's Word.
You can become a new person this year - a child of God and a citizen of His Kingdom, dedicated to seeking His will every day and in every action.
Need to start at the beginning? Read Week 1 Here
Read:
Genesis 3:15
2 Corinthians 9:8
Our first glimpse of the Messiah is found at the beginning of time—in the Garden of Eden.
The experience of the garden must have been nothing short of spectacular for Adam and Eve. But far better than any smell, taste, or sight was being in the presence of God, their creator. One of the reasons God created Adam and Eve was to have a relationship with them.
This is how life was meant to be. The garden was perfect because God was there. His presence and nearness are what made it good.
But Adam and Eve disobeyed. They believed the lie of the serpent - God was withholding something good from them, God didn’t love them.
Have you ever believed this lie? We all have.
Because God is both perfect love and perfect justice, He had to correct His children's disobedience. And like any honorable king, God must also respond to evil. Adam and Eve's punishment was the gift of pain, in order that they would not forget what they had done wrong.
At the same time, He shows His deep love by giving them a promise. Genesis 3:15 prophesies, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
This is God’s very first clue to his great plan of salvation. In that very moment when paradise is lost, God offers us comfort and hope.
What will you do with that hope?
We will give an account of what we do with our time on this earth. The Lord has given us a bag of silver, our hope and our potential, and He’s asking, “What are you going to do with what I have given you?”
You are not born with limitations or some predetermined capacity for greatness. You are born with possibilities, and those possibilities are innumerable chances to bring glory to God.
What is greatness? It is this idea of being set apart or standing out because of the things you do. The word "holy" means "set apart" or dedicated to GOD.
As a child of God, you were created to stand apart. As a citizen of His Kingdom, you were created for greatness. You were not born to stay where you are. You were born to multiply the gifts and talents that are inside you. You were born to bring the hope of Christ to the lost in whatever way God has prepared you.
In the eyes of God, greatness is obedience in small things, faithfulness in the mundane, and boldness in proclaiming His name. God has already imbued you with a purpose and a calling to do what furthers the Kingdom and brings you, and those around you, closer to Him.
So, once again, I ask, "What will you do with this hope from the Garden?"
As you ready your heart for Easter, thank God for His love. Even at the beginning of time, and despite our mistrust and disobedience, He was already planning to send His Son to die so we could be with Him again. He was already planning His merciful rescue of a hurting world. God was not caught off guard by Adam and Eve's actions. Instead, He set in motion a series of events that led Jesus to the cross. He gave us hope. Ask God to reveal to you His plan in your life and to show you ways to spread His love and His hope to the people you meet this week.