She Reads Truth: EmmanuelSample

The Fall of Man and the First Promise of the Messiah is Revealed

Reflection:

“No sooner was the wound given than the remedy was provided and revealed.” - Matthew Henry

As familiar as this scene from the garden may be, I don’t know that I’ve ever recognized Christ there. Have you?

This is the place where the boundary was crossed, where the fruit was eaten. Adam and Eve hid from God, lied to Him, fumbled their words, panicked. You can almost feel the desperation. They had never before felt shame, and they were afraid.

“What have you done?” God asks. But He knows.

In His words to the serpent we find the first hint of the promise. See if you can hear it: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15, NIV)

God would not leave us here, deceived and befriended by the evil one. He would give grace to war with the corruption, grace to draw us back to Him. But how? By sending us His Son. By giving His children - us, the created ones! - a Messiah. A Savior.

God would become God With Us.

He would suffer. The evil one would strike His heel, causing real blood, real sweat, real tears. But the Promised One would have the last word. He would cry out “It is finished!”, crushing the serpent’s head in a final, fatal blow.

He would become God With Us. And when His work was done, we would never be separated from Him again.

Prayer

Father, forgive us for the times we run and hide. Thank you for not leaving us here but drawing us out by your grace. Thank you for the indwelling of your Spirit, for being our Emmanuel, God with us. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to us, suffering for us, and bringing us back home. Amen.

Advent Action

Listen to the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and jot the first verse down on a piece of paper. Hang the words in a place where you can read it throughout the day. Ask God to come into your hiding place  and be Emmanuel for you.

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