Day 8 - Grace - Covers Our Sin

Genesis 3:6-7, 9-11

PAUSE -
Take a deep breath, offer this time and your focus to the Lord with the    Psalmist. 

       Search me God, and know my heart;

      Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

      See if there is any offensive way in me, 

      And lead me in the way everlasting.      Psalm 139:23-24

REJOICE in God’s goodness with Psalm 34:4-6

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. 

Last week, we were reminded that Generosity is rooted in Grace.  As people realize and receive God’s indescribable gifts of Grace there is a heart shift toward grace-giving (generosity) to others.  We also learned that generosity is an expression of righteousness, which also is a gift of grace from the Lord. 

Read and REFLECT

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food   and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves… But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; So I hid.” And he (God) said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?...  Genesis 3:6-7, 9-11

The discourse that follows is filled with excuses and blame by the

man and the woman and results in curses on the creation which reflect the rebellion and brokenness between God and humanity, and the beginning of chaos in our world.  And yet after declaring the curse on the serpent, with a foreshadowing of a Redeemer, as well as curses upon the labors of man with the soil and the pain of labor for the woman in childbirth, God does something remarkable…

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (verse 21)

Human beings have always tried to cover (hide) their true sinful    selves. We don’t know what Adam and Eve used to sew fig leaves together, but it clearly wasn’t an adequate covering. 

Then God, in his grace, slaughtered the first animal in order to give adequate coverings for the nakedness of their sin.  This was an extravagant act of generosity. An act of Grace. 

A vindictive God would have left them to deal with their own nakedness. A just and gracious God pronounced the judgement for their sin, while offering a covering for their nakedness.

Reread this passage aloud. 

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves...But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; So I hid.” And he (God) said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?... 
Genesis 3:6-7, 9-11

What word or phrase stands out to you as you read? How do you relate to the man and woman and their responses to God and one another? What do you imagine about the scene as God declares the curses and then gifts them with garments of animal skin?  What does this teach us about Grace?

ASK – 

Dear Lord, As we think of someone who needs God’s forgiveness and freedom today, we pray for the grace of Jesus to be revealed. Please Lord, reveal how we might encourage someone to be in your grace today.  Amen.   

YIELD – 

Dear Lord, as I open my hands I yield myself to you today.  You know what I have been trying to hide that needs to be confessed.  I know that your grace covers all things and I can release this to you today.  Thank you for your gift of freedom and forgiveness.   Amen. 

I think of the song “How Marvelous” – based on the original hymn by the same name: 

   I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene

   And wonder how he could love me, a sinner condemned,   

   unclean. How marvelous. How wonderful, and my song shall      

   ever be How marvelous. How wonderful is my Savior’s love for me.