First Thursday of Advent: Chosen

We didn't get to our family advent devotions tonight as we had guests over and just got caught up in good conversation. The passage, however, was the last part of Genesis 3. Here's the quick synopsis: God comes to the garden looking for Adam and Eve who are hiding from Him, they each make excuses, God puts punishment upon each of the parties involved (man has to toil at the ground, the woman will have childbearing pains and the serpent's head will be crushed by the woman's offspring), God makes clothing for them and then banishes them from Eden.

It's not a very "Adventy" passage, I know. But consider this: God, knowing full well what Adam and Eve have done, goes into the garden to find them. He seeks them out. He does that still. Even though we may be hiding from guilt or shame, He still loves and cares for us enough to seek us out individually. That's exactly what Christmas is about: God incarnate coming to earth, walking amongst us.

God also takes action to clothe Adam and Eve now that they have made nakedness shameful. He does so with animal skins. Which means the first blood was shed in the garden in order to clothe them. God makes the first sacrifice, righting the effects of sin. He also makes the last sacrifice for sin as His Son is nailed to the cross.

As we wait, isn't it good to know that God seeks us and God wants to take care of our sins? That should bring us a little holiday cheer.