Daily Reading
Epistemological rebellion. Not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the story of Adam and Eve, the serpent, the garden, and eating the forbidden fruit, is it? But it's worth the effort to understand that little phrase, because behind it are big consequences, both then and now. Epistemology is the science or study of knowledge - what is actually knowable, how do we know what we know, and so on. Adam and Eve had been trusting God as truth teller until this point. The serpent insinuates that God is keeping something from Adam and Eve, and introduces the poison that runs through all our veins: suspicion of the goodness of God. The moment that suspicion starts, the erosion of trust begins, and whether we realize it or not, we place ourselves in God's place, and we fall apart. But Advent is God's declaration that He can be trusted. His response to the disaster of Genesis 3 is to place Himself in the midst of the disaster, and die for the world. The rescue mission begins, and if we see it clearly, we learn to trust Him all over again.
Thank God for His goodness this Advent season. Ask Him to help you clearly see the baby in the manger as the clue you need to believe that He is Good and can be trusted.