21 Nov December 18th Daily Devotion

 GOD PROMISED A SAVIOR

Genesis 3:1-7,15  Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. . . the Lord God said to the serpent, “ . . . I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

God created the world and to manage and care for it He created Adam and Eve.  After creating them He told them they were responsible for the management of all of His creation.  One thing God asked of them beyond their stewardship of the earth was that they would be faithful to Him, worship, and obey no one other than Him.  As you read the words of Genesis chapter three, it is clear that Adam and Eve were not faithful to God, disobeyed His direct command to not eat of the forbidden fruit, and immediately they realized their disobedience severed their perfect relationship with Him.  They were ashamed, tried to hide from Him and covered up their nakedness.

You also read in Genesis chapter 3 God entered back into the relationship Adam and Eve broke with Him through their disobedience.  He confronted them about their sin and then made them a promise to send a Savior to take away their sins. (Genesis 3:15)

After Adam and Eve came countless other human beings.  All of whom sinned and disobeyed God as they had.  God in His GRACE continued to come into the lives of sinful mankind repeating His promise of a Savior.  In these next days you will read in these devotions a number of times throughout the Old Testament where God came into the lives of people to reiterate His promise of a Savior.

You are now days away from celebrating the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Savior.  While the world celebrates a Christmas of worldly gifts and parties, God invites you to come into His presence this Christmas season because He wants to reiterate His promise of the forgiveness of your sins through the personal gift of His Son Jesus, He sent to remove their stain and guilt from you.

Celebrate with me the fulfillment of God’s promise first made to Adam and Eve.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for Your undeserved love for me a sinner and for all of sinful humanity that You sent Your Son Jesus to take away our sins.  Bless my celebration of His birth this Christmas season.  Amen.

Savior of the nations, come, Virgin’s Son,

make here Your home!

Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,

That the Lord chose such a birth.

(LSB 332, v.1)