I'm sure the majority of people know the story of Adam and Eve, the two luckiest people who threw it all away and ruined life for the rest of us. I've started reading Genesis again. For some reason, I'm always hesitant to start reading at the beginning of the Bible. It's like, in my mind, I feel that starting at the beginning is uncool.... I don't know. Reading in the middle of a book makes me feel so much more accomplished. But anyway.
So when God created Adam and Eve, they walked around this incredible garden completely naked, and 2:25 says "they felt no shame." There was nothing wrong with being unclothed, it was normal and a heck of a lot more practical. After being tricked in to eating the fruit from the tree of good and evil, Adam and Eve realized that they were naked, and suddenly, it wasn't ok anymore. They were ashamed, and tried hiding from God in the garden.
In comes God, demanding to know who told Adam and Eve they were, indeed, naked. Upon finding out they had eaten from the tree (which I really think he knew before they fessed up), God cursed the serpent and then cursed man...including increased pains during childbearing. Thanks Eve.
Thats the jest of the story, and the only part I usually pay attention enough to. But in my readings today, I discovered something more. I discovered God's grace with Adam and Eve, and I'd venture to say it is the first showing of grace.
3:21 says, "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." Now hold on, because I thought God was angry! But no, despite giving in to the serpent's tempting, God still cares about Adam and Eve. Even though He created them to walk around in the garden naked, God realizes their imperfection and mistakes and cares for them anyway. I can almost hear God saying, "Hey, this is not really what I had intended for you guys, but look, I love you anyway." Of course they were still punished, but that does not override God's love.
That verse is just blowing my mind right now. There is evidence of God's supreme grace all the way back to the beginning of man. That's something truly incredible and I can't fully wrap my head around the greatness of it all.
Sometimes I wonder why God loves me and accepts me back when I fail and dishonor him. I'll never understand His reasoning on that. But I pray that I don't take the way He loves for granted.
God. Thank you for your grace and for teaching us of it at the very beginning of mankind.
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