Experience Christmas is a 19-day devotional series based on the Scriptural narrative and aimed at creating space during a beautiful, but hectic time of year to wonder at the miracle of Christmas. You’re joining us on day two, with music from Casting Crowns and a devotional that brings us back to the Garden of Eden.

Listen

God is With Us , Casting Crowns
YouTube | Lyrics | iTunes

Read

Genesis 2:4-3:24, John 1:1-5

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In the beginning, there was God.

Holy. Omnipotent. Omniscient. Omnipresent. God.

He spoke, and there was light. Then blue sky, followed by rolling waters, and the bright green of earth. Sun, moon, and stars He hung high in the heavens, marking seasons and days and years. With a mighty filling of water, sky, and land, every creature alive in His imagination, breathed deep the life of this new created world, and as His crowning work, God formed the first man and first woman.

Adam and Eve were given dominion over God’s new world and the opportunity to know Him like no other created thing. God walked with Adam and Even and called them friends. They were provided for in every way by their Father God, and given only one command – to refrain from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because God knew it would lead to their death.

The serpent did too, and so he deceived them to follow the impulses of her hearts and disregard the command of the Lord, their friend, changing the relationship they shared with God forever.

But, God.

Holy. Omnipotent. Omniscient. Omnipresent. God.

Had already made another way.

Genesis 3:15 NIV
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.

Where we inserted conflict and brokenness into our story through sin, God speaks the promise of life and reconciliation – an end to the separation we placed between us, and a future of friendship with Him.

In the moments of our deepest betrayals, God speaks promise. God speaks life.

Because He has always been for us.

Love is raining down on the world tonight
There’s a presence here I can tell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel
He’s the Savior we have been praying for 
In our humble hearts He will dwell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel
– God is With Us, Casting Crowns

Consider

• Where have you allowed separation in your relationship with God?
• How has God shown you He is for you?

Pray

Pray that God would shine the light of truth into your heart, and that you would be able to see where He is for you.

Father, thank you that you are for us – that no thing we have ever done could separate us forever from you. Thank you that you made a way back to right relationship through your Son. Show us today how we can live in right relationship with you.

For a complete list of devotional posts visit the Experience Christmas series page. Sign up to receive posts directly via email by completing the online subscription form and join in the conversation on Facebook and Twitter by using the hashtag #ExperienceChristmasDevotional. See my disclosure page for iTunes and other affiliate information.