
Episode 59 Heartache to Hope
Kathy Edmiston on rebuilding life after love leaves.
Kathy Edmiston on rebuilding life after love leaves.
When Satan approached Eve in the Garden of Eden, with Adam standing right by her side, he attacked God’s grace, God’s Person, and God’s Word. God graciously provided Adam and Eve with everything they could ever want or need.
Where does evil come from? Why are things so messed up on planet Earth? Why does sin impact me in a personal way? These are some of the questions we’ll start to answer in today’s study of Genesis 3:1-7. Let’s begin with an overview of Genesis.
There are two threads of profound truth that weave throughout the book of Genesis. First, we learn about the powerful Person of God. Second, we see how this powerful God personally works in the lives of people just like you and me. I want to remind you that God is at work in your life. I don’t know what you are going through today, but I do know that if you are a follower of Jesus, he is writing your story.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17). As we have considered the powerful Creator’s work we would agree with Jeremiah—nothing is too hard for God.
In our study of Genesis, we are seeing that two threads weave throughout the book: The powerful Person of God and his personal work in the lives of people. The Creator is writing his story in our lives. That should never cease to amaze us and that should excite us that we are deeply involved in this amazing story!
There are two threads of profound truth that run through the book of Genesis. The first thread describes the powerful Person of God. The second thread reveals how this all-powerful God personally works in the details of our lives. A simple outline of Genesis shows these two threads presented in three sections of the book.
God is writing his story in you. He is an amazing God, and he is writing an amazing story. Whatever you are going through today is preparing you for tomorrow. He never wastes our experiences and circumstances.
The other night, I went through the house and turned on every light. Then I built big black boxes and put one over each light to stymie the glow. My work was done. I had turned the lights on and then covered them over so their glow could not be seen. You say, “Ridiculous!” That’s exactly what Jesus said.
Light dispels darkness. Light cuts through the obscurity and makes its presence known. Sorry for the double negative, but light cannot not be light. Its property defines its existence.
Salt, a mineral vital to life, is unlike anything else. It has a distinct taste, which is imparted to anything with which it is mixed. It is used as a seasoning and a preservative. Salt makes an impact! Even a little salt sprinkled in a bowl of soup or on a pile of French fries changes the taste of the food!
When the Light arrived in the darkness, the heavenly Father sent his Son to the back of the line. The Light of the world, the eternal God in the flesh, received no special breaks, and no advantages. After what appeared to be an unseemly pregnancy and a hard journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the fullness of time had come. And…there was no room for Jesus.
The proverb says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1). God is sovereign over all, orchestrating the events of world history. We see this vividly demonstrated when it was time for Jesus to be born.
They are called “The Silent Years.” During the four hundred long years between the last book of the Old Testament and the coming of Jesus, there were no prophets, angels delivering messages, or word from God. Then…at just the right time…
Tiny hands waving about uncontrollably. A shrill cry piercing the damp air of a borrowed cave. A mother’s peaceful smile. A mysterious smile on the face of her husband, who helped deliver a miracle. And the Word became flesh: God confined to an infant.
John the Baptist made his days count. He lived life “plain and simple”–camel hair clothes and a leather belt; roasted locusts (surely, he didn’t eat them raw) and wild honey to eat. But what impresses me most is that John the Baptist was a man who knew his purpose. He was on earth to prepare the world for Jesus, and he never wavered. He lived with a spiritual focus. Isn’t that the kind of life you want to live?