The Question Behind the Question

I had breakfast at the fig tree this morning. It wasn’t that I actually intended to, it just sorta happened that way. When Wayne and I returned from our 4 mile walk, I wanted to see if there were any ripe figs on the tree.

 

 

And there was…so I indulged! My breakfast companion, a quiet but gorgeous male Red Bird indulged on the other side of the tree, until Wayne joined me with a bowl to hold, what I couldn’t.

 

Very few of my figs made it to the bowl.

The figs were wet from the rain. And sweet.  So I stood at the tree,

hunting

and tasting

and gobbling.

The mosquitos were swarming.

Hot weather and lots of rain are perfect breeding conditions  for mosquitos. So I swatted and savored until I was satisfied.

 

As I reflected on my perfect breakfast, plucked and eaten at the tree, I thought of Eve.

Mornings in her extravagant garden must have been majestic.

Cool breeze.

Great companionship.

The sweet song of birds and the fragrance of sweet flowers and ripe fruit.

She had such an assortment of fresh fruits to choose from;

mangos,

strawberries,

pineapple,

coconuts. OK so coconut is not a fruit, but wow are they yummy!

And she didn’t have to swat pesky mosquitoes either.

 

Yet Eve’s garden guest took more from her than a sip of fresh blood.

And it took it with the simple question, “Did God really say….”  Just a question. Genesis 3

 

She explained what God had actually said. Then satan countered that what she believed was not the truth.

Simple, direct words.

A question

and an opinion that differed from what God said.

 

But the question behind the question, rattled the foundation of her faith. Was God telling the truth or not? Tweet this!

Doubt for the very first time; subtle and quiet, without announcing it’s intent, crept into her heart.

 

Maybe we, Eve and I, and as a matter of fact, you too,  have more in common with Eve than we realize.

Looking at the fruit, she thought the situation through.

That’s what a mind is for…reasoning.

She was brilliant.

She could figure this out for herself.

 

Genesis 3:6 gives us a glimpse of her thought process as she rethought what she had been taught.

It was good for food.

She knew it was edible.

That is was nourishing.

 

It was pleasing to the eye.

It looked good. (Please folks, loose the mentality that this was an apple. Apples are good, but come on! Eve was tempted by something more beautiful than an apple.)

And desirable for gaining wisdom.

It would make her wise. Wow!

What a fruit.

What an opportunity!

 

But rethinking her beliefs was based on doubt that prompted her to leave God’s words out of the equation. Instead, she trusted her senses, what she saw, and smelled and felt,  then formed an opinion  forged only on the anvil of natural reasoning.

 

We haven’t changed much.

Everyday we are faced with choices.

Are we going to believe only what we experience with our natural senses, disregarding what God says?

Or are we going to allow His Words to be the compass and true North that guide and shape our decisions and belief system?

Trusting your opinion above God’s is serious stuff. Tweet this!

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6 Tweet this!

 

I agree choices and developing your belief system can be difficult.

And decisions have to be made.

We can’t believe everything we hear.

We can’t assume stuff, just because that’s what we’ve always been told.

We need to use our head for more than a hat rack.

We have to gather the facts.

Think about what we’ve gathered.

But God’s Word has to be the criteria that influences and shapes our belief system and decisions.

 

Is there an area you are rethinking your faith? Is it taking you toward Jesus or away from Him? Tweet this!

Nothing in life is more precious than an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Is there an area in your life that the snake in your garden is questioning what God has told you?

His promise?

His instruction?

His plan?

His Word?

Don’t leave God out. Build on the foundation of what He’s said and not natural reasoning. You have too much to lose. Eve would tell you that too!

Father, help us. Help us to trust you. Show us every place we trust our opinion above and to the exclusion of your Word. In Jesus name. Amen.