Advent: December 1

Read: Genesis 3:15

Thoughts for Parents

Everything had gone terribly wrong. The beautiful paradise was ruined. Their sweet transparency and vulnerability and intimacy was shattered. For the first time Adam and Eve knew shame, embarrassment, and humiliation. They were lost from each other, from their Lord and from the promise of a blessed life. They hid. They tried to cover themselves up from the judgment that they knew was coming; they tried to make themselves presentable. And even though they were judged and the curse of death for disobedience was placed upon them and all their children, they didn’t get what they truly deserved. No, instead of death they were given a promise: A promise that all their folly would be placed upon a Man—a descendant of Eve the Sinner—who would be bruised in their place, but who would crush their enemy beneath His heel. Salvation would come; a baby would be born from “her offspring”—Mary, Eve’s descendant would labor and give birth in humiliation, shame, and isolation—and this baby would be a Conqueror and would forever triumph over the wicked one who delighted in destroying the beauty the Lord He hated had loved. This descendant would crush the enemy through shame, humiliation and isolation, by hanging on a cross, alone. We can trust that the Lord will fulfill all His promises to save us even when we feel lost, ashamed, and humiliated. He never forgets His word; He never breaks a promise. He is victorious in all He does.

Thoughts for Children

In the very beginning, Adam and Eve sinned. They decided that what they wanted was more important than what God wanted. The reason God gives us rules is because He loves us and He know what is the best way for us to be happy. He wanted Adam and Eve to be happy, but they didn’t trust His love or believe that He wanted them to be happy. Satan, who was disguised as a serpent, told Adam and Eve that they couldn’t trust God. They chose to try and make themselves happy instead of obeying what God told them.

Any time we disobey God’s rules it is because we don’t believe He loves us enough and we don’t trust that His heart is for us. Like we talked about yesterday, whenever we sin tears always follow. Sadness and sin always go together.

The exciting part about God is He doesn’t leave us in our sadness. He makes a way for us to be happy again. He did that for Adam and Eve on that very day they disobeyed Him. He promised them that He would send a warrior to come and kill the serpent. He promised them that He would win the war. And even though sometimes it looks like sadness might win, we know God always keeps His promises. Jesus was the warrior that came to beat the serpent. The day He was born was the day that Satan’s defeat became a reality.