The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Obedience (01/31/05)
“Get Real! It Was Only an Apple”

How hard could it have been? They were in paradise with everything provided for them on a “silver leaf platter!” No decisions about career choices, picking the right mate for life, living on a budget, what kind of vehicle to drive, whether to attend a traditional or a contemporary church, how to decorate the nursery, not even what to fix for dinner.

If it were possible to have a conversation with Adam and Eve, I can imagine saying something like, “Eve, what were you thinking?! Did the super-sized deluxe ruby red apple look that much better than the plain, small, but tasty apple on the orchard tree? Adam, you may have been a hunk, but what happened to your spunk?! Don’t tell us you tried to interfere, because we have the evidence recorded in black and white. You tried to play innocent and hide behind Eve’s skirt before she even had one!”

Since I’m probably on a roll by now, I can just hear me saying, “You were the first two humans ever created and loved by God. He could have kept you safely in Eden forever in perfect harmony with Him, yourselves, and all creation. But, in His perfect love and wisdom, He decided to give you freedom in choosing for yourselves if you would obey Him. How utterly disappointed and grieved He must have been to see how easily you were seduced by the serpent. Satan introduced you to the same arrogance which caused Him to be evicted from his short-lived paradise in heaven. Because you chose disobedience, God served you also with an eviction notice, and nothing would ever be the same for you or those who descended from you.” Then, for the finishing touch, I’d zap them in my most sarcastic tone and say, “Oh yeah, I almost forgot...thank you both very much!”

Have you ever thought how grand it would have been if God had chosen to retain exclusive rights to our freedom of choice? We would live in a perfect world free of hate, bigotry, theft, malice, adultery, drug abuse, abortion, murder, and every other sin conceived in the mind of man. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Then, we wouldn’t have to worry about making choices, or dying and the fear we might not make it to Heaven. But wait, look back at the list of “free ofs” and notice there’s no mention of the presence of love either. Without the sin, we wouldn’t know or recognize love. If we were forced to love, then it would not be love at all.

Because of God’s love, He honored the intelligence with which he gifted us. He gave us the right to decide for ourselves what we will do with the life he has given to us. Sin entered the world with the first bite of fruit from a tree. Love was then promised through the prophesy of the death of God’s only son, Jesus, on a tree. Without the right of free choice, we would never know what sin is, but then we would not know what real love is either. Love is a small word consisting of only four letters. Isn’t it amazing that such a small word represents the obedient act of Christ dying on the cross? He made that small word large enough to cover each and every sin ever committed in disobedience.

Yes, Adam and Eve were very special people, but they were also human. If they hadn’t committed the first act of disobedience against God, then it would have eventually been the same downfall for Bill and Susie, Tom and Sally, John and Mary, or me and my spouse. No matter when or whose sin resulted in the eviction from the presence of God, He would still have had His same perfect plan for the redemption of all who call on the name of Jesus as their Savior. Only God’s love flowing through us will make us sufficient to follow Him in obedience.

“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” Romans 6:6 (NIV Study Bible)
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 798 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Sally Hanan
02/10/05
Well written. I especially liked the way you wrote this sentence. He made that small word large enough to cover each and every sin..
Cheri Hardaway
02/12/05
This was excellent! I enjoyed reading it.

God bless,