I am Eve.
Several years ago, I was searching for cartoon Bible stories for my daughter, EH. I happened upon CBN’s “Superbook” series. The episodes were the right length and gave great visuals for her brain to begin creating mental images of God’s living word.
Recently, she’s become fixated on the episode, “In the Beginning,” and Lucifer’s fall. We’ve been working on tamping down her eager sharing with strangers, “I know Lucifer!” as we stand in line at the store… the judging eyes are cutting. Heaven help me.
As EH was enamored with the heavenly battle scene and the serpent in the garden, I found myself looking at the first woman. Eve had everything she would ever need in Eden but was drawn to the one thing that was off limits– fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” Genesis 3:6
It was easy to watch the animated version of this event and judge another woman. “Come on, lady! You have it all, and you want a Honeycrisp apple instead of a Gala? Seriously?!”
During seasons of spiritual growth, I think to myself, “How could I ever want anything more than this communion with the Lord? Why would I ever NOT seek Him daily?”
Enter disappointment.
Like Eve, I get distracted. I have internal struggles. I doubt that what I have is enough. I start to believe that “one more ____” might be exactly what I need to complete the vision. I forget about the abundance I have and start looking sideways for what might be better. Even scarier, I stop listening to what the Lord tells me is good and fulfilling and begin listening to culture.
Tim Allen Gardner writes about the fall of man saying, “Paradise on earth was defiled when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. In essence, their sin was that, despite His abundant provision for all their needs, they no longer wanted to trust God to do what was best for them… They failed to trust God’s words to them, and they wanted to obtain His ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil. They no longer felt that God knew best, and pain and destruction followed” (174).
We’ve all experienced the pain and destruction from going our own way. Decisions that didn’t workout the way we expected. Jobs that were less than desirable. Relationships that cause more harm than help. Ultimately, all of these are part of the domino effect of that first sideways glance in the garden.
So, what now?
While disappointment will always be a part of this world, how can we find peace in the pain and use discernment in the disappointment?
I’ve found myself looking back at that first lady and using my consecrated creativity to envision sitting down with Eve for a girls’ lunch. If she were to lean in to say, “Do as I say, not as I do,” what advice might follow? If she were to share the recipe for guarding against the S-I-N she opened the door to, what guidance would she share?
I imagine it would all be rooted in God’s word knowing that she’s experienced both His tangible company and separation. Her guidance would focus on making sure we SEEK, are INTENTIONAL, and use NECESSARY resources to protect one of our most valuable and vulnerable traits– free will.
S(eek)
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (vs.11). Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you, and you will SEEK Me and find Me, when you SEARCH for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity.” Jeremiah 29: 11-14
This favorite often stops after verse 11 on magnets and t-shirts. However, it’s the following verses that make all the difference. God has given us free will– just like Eve– to move about on this earth. Just like her, we wander. It’s going to happen, but every minute of every day is a chance to re-set and intentionally SEEK and SEARCH after a God who always has our best interest in mind, but these verbs will never happen accidentally.
I(ntentional)
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
I would like to think that a talking serpent or roaring lion would get my attention, but like Eve, we all let our guard down. We get tired and distracted, and against an enemy that is cunning, intentional and seeking in his own attempts to destroy and ruin us, this step cannot be left up to chance.
Intentional would be the opposite of chance. Everything we allow into our daily world impacts our walk– music, tv, books, hobbies, friends, and social media can each either build or destroy the life you’re working with God to create. Intentionally filter these influences to align them with God’s will.
N(ecessary)
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (scheming) of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and have done all to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication for all the saints” Ephesians 6: 10-18
I listened to a lesson on the armor of God by Priscilla Shirer while I got a pedicure this week– intentionally filling my mind even then– and she can communicate this NECESSARY step of guarding against sin in our lives in a way I only dream of mastering.
However, what I gleaned from her lesson perfectly aligned with my meditation on Eve and that the SEEKING for spiritual health must be INTENTIONAL and is absolutely NECESSARY to live out our God given potential. Just like I never accidentally get dressed for work, we will never happen upon the full armor of God without doing it on purpose.
So, what started as such disappointment to realize truly, “I am Eve.” The deeper look is that we are all Eve looking at the apple, oblivious of the danger, and preoccupied with our personal plans/desires.
Lord, let us be aware of Lucifer. Let us be like a child who keeps it simple– “Look! There’s the snake! I see Lucifer!” He knows us. We need to know him. Because, friend, we will never be guarded enough, against an enemy we don’t even acknowledge.
When seeking God, always base your study in the Bible, but these are a few of my favorite supplemental resources to move beyond spiritual disappointment to living intentionally:
“Superbook” Kids Website– sign up for free: https://secure.superbook.cbn.com/join?sl=en&refcode=FNUPM
“Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life”
by J. Kirk & Melanie Lewis
Priscilla Shirer: Your Spiritual Battle & the Armor of God (Full Teaching)
“The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands”
by Lysa Terkhurst
“Find Rest: A Women’s Devotional for Lasting Peace in a Busy Life”
by Shaunti Feldhahn
“When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace”
By Ruth Chou Simons
Gardner, Tim Alan. Sacred Sex. Waterbrook, 2002.