Read:  Genesis 3:1-7; 11:1-9

The Garden of Eden.  The Tower of Babel. These examples of sin and disobedience towards God in the book of Genesis are still happening today in our world and in our culture.  Followers of Jesus are surrounded by it every day and are sometimes tempted to join in. As the rest of history testifies, sin will always be with us because we live in a fallen world.  But God provides us a different way through his son Jesus. Our story needs to become His story.  

Louie Giglio shares about this in the Jesus Bible and his words are a helpful reminder.  He writes, “What happened in the garden is called sin. But there is no better way to characterize it than using the word revolt.  Humankind said on that day what we still say every day. I WILL DO IT MY WAY! It’s hard to imagine anyone spitting in the face of a friend, tracking mud through the home of a neighbor on a rainy day, cutting off a funeral procession in traffic, or mocking a person with a disability.  Common human decency causes us to recoil at the thought. Yet, we casually ignore the Almighty, rebuff his counsel, laugh at his wisdom, pursue our own pleasure, and straight-up say no when he calls us to his path and plan.”

Giglio continues… “If the word revolt sounds too strong, consider that God is the originator and owner of us all.  Yet, we attempt to dismiss and belittle the One who formed us from the dust. We spit in God’s face and slam the door on his love.  Often without a thought or even a twinge of regret, we treat God worse than we treat most of our friends and neighbors. We repeatedly say toward heaven, “No thanks, I’m doing just fine without you!”

Those are tough words to hear, but in our world today these are words that need to be heard.  It’s time that we stop insisting that our way is the best way and ask what God has to say about these things instead.  Instead of putting our foot down and saying that we will do it our way, how about we open God’s Word, get our knees before God our Creator and say, what is your way?  Hopefully our sin and revolt can find its way to the obedience, grace, and forgiveness of the cross. Jesus died and shed his blood on that cross so that we could be delivered from that life of sin and disobedience.

Make it Personal:  How have you been saying “I will do it my way” to God?  It’s time to open up our Bibles, get on our knees before the Lord and say, “Show me your way, I am ready and willing to follow it.”  Lord, help us all in this endeavor!