December 02, 2016

Need for Hope

Genesis 3:8-15

The man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God . . . and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

—  Genesis 3:8

There are many good things about this world, because it was created by God. But there is also something wrong with this world. We can tell there is something wrong when we look around us and see disease, war, and famine. We can also tell there is something wrong when we look inside ourselves. Our own consciences tell us that something is wrong, that we are not living the way we were meant to live.

Genesis 3 describes this situation. God had created Adam and Eve as a good part of his good creation. But they were disobedient to God, and they tried to hide from the Lord in shame. Adam and Eve were in what seemed like a hopeless situation.

But even in this story of sin and seeming hopelessness, we find glimpses of the hope that God gives to human beings. Adam and Eve could not hide from God.

God called out to them because he loved them so much and wanted to seek them out. Then God promised to give them victory over the evil that seemed to overwhelm them.

We still live in this world of sin and evil, but we can have hope in the God who seeks us out, forgives our sin, and promises to overcome evil.

Creator God, we confess that we have fallen away from your good intentions for the world. Forgive us, and give us hope in the new creation you have promised. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

About the author — Rebecca Jordan Heys

Rebecca Jordan Heys serves as a pastor at Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She and her husband, Kyle, are the parents of two children.

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