This month let us meditate on unintended consequences as we journey to Jerusalem and, ultimately, to our heavenly Father’s house. God calls us to consider the unintended consequences that have brought us here, we are now engaging in, and those that will confront us until the Last Day.
Adam and Eve lived in freedom in the Garden of Eden. They were free to:
- work without pain or injury.
- live and move without the searing heat of summer or the frigid cold of winter.
- live and move among the animals, insects, and plants without fear of attack or pestilence.
- rest and sleep without fear of injury or death.
- come into the presence of the Lord without terror or shame.
- commune with God without deceit and slander.
Unfortunately, when they entertained the tempter, gave thought to his deceptive and deadly challenge, and acted upon the temptation they went from freedom in God to bondage in sin, death and the power of the devil. They did not intend:
- that an innocent animal that Adam named and they cared for would forfeit its life to cover their sin.
- to forsake God’s fellowship and favor for that with a liar and murderer.
- that all creation would groan under the weight of their rebellion and lawlessness, resulting in painful childbirth and exhausting work.
- to suffer the consequences of aging and infirmity that would weaken them physically and psychologically.
- to enter into a situation that would demand their deliverance through the suffering and death of God who would take on flesh and blood and be born of a woman.
Satan did not intent that their rebellion would be graciously and lovingly dealt with by the holy and righteous God.
Unfortunately, today we live with Adam and Eve’s unintended consequences: suffering and anguish, disease and death, betrayal and heartbreak. Even more, we go through our days, weeks, months and years not intending to:
- provoke and grieve our God with our lawless and rebellious thoughts, words and deeds towards Him and our neighbor.
- neglect God’s mercies or the good work given us this day.
- allow the old Adam to grow stronger and the new creation in Christ weaker by the delay of our spiritual growth through: reading and meditating on God’s Word; individual, family and corporate worship; Christian Education classes; stewardship – fellowship – evangelism opportunities; and prayer.
- forsake God and become separated from His bride through ritualism and absenteeism.
Satan does not intent all that distracts, ensnares, and binds mankind to give way to God’s salvation in this Time of Grace.
