Sin Hinders Communication

I just can't seem to get out of the garden narrative of Genesis 3.  Yesterday, I shared about Eve and the process in her mind that led to her demise.  Her covetousness was what led to her disobedient act.

This intense desire to have something that did not belong to her started in her mind as the serpent dropped off a thought that God was withholding His goodness and knowledge from her.

In order to avoid such diabolical cunning, all Eve had to do was to communicate with her Maker.  A lack of communication led to her deception and ultimately the disintegration of her relationship with God.

We must pay careful attention to what Eve did not do and gain wisdom and insight from her life.

Communication is the key ingredient to any healthy vibrant relationship.  So it comes as no surprise that there is so much miscommunication in our relationships.  You see the enemy does not want us to experience intimacy with anyone especially not God.

When we refuse to talk out our confusion or hurt we cut off the possibility for the redemptive work of the Maker.  When the communication that He once had with Adam and Eve was disrupted, he took action to make a way for them and all of mankind to experience right relationship and open communication with God.

Prayer is communication with God.  If we are choosing our way, believing the cunning lies of the enemy and coming under the deception of our own hearts, we won't like to be in communication with God.

Then the eyes of both were opened, 

and they knew that they were naked.  

And they sewed fig leaves together and 

made themselves loincloths.

And they heard the sound of the LORD God 

walking in the garden in the cool of the day, 

and the man and his wife hid themselves 

from the presence of the LORD God 

among the trees of the garden.

But the LORD God called to the man...

Adam and Eve avoided communicating with God before, during and after their decision to partake of the forbidden fruit.  Neither one of them called to God to clarify His command.  As a result of their willful act of sin they knew that they had damaged their relationship with God.

Avoidance behavior occurs when people don't want to see their own sin for what it is.  We walk away from relationships because we are afraid of the confrontation that is necessary at times to reconcile our differences.

When one individual pulls away from communication the other may respond by seeking them out but usually their is a sense that things are not well in the garden of their hearts.  Maybe they have believed lies about the individual or maybe they have separated themselves for  a 'good' reason.  No matter the reasoning behind the behavior, the relationship cannot grow without open and honest communication from both parties.

Anger or fear are usually the common responses associated with a communication gap.  Maybe we are angry because of the truth that our brother or sister may reveal about our own prideful hearts and instead of looking at our sin we hide it by avoiding looking at it.

Adam and Eve were afraid of God once they realized the error of their ways.  Their hiddenness is reflective of our own propensity to stuff feelings and emotions in relationships and to avoid those who either hurt or challenge us.

When we lead lives of prayerlessness we are like Adam and Eve, who didn't consult the LORD God about what He said and believed lies about His character that led to their deception.

In God's great act of loving kindness he sent His son so that our relationship with Him that was once lost, as a result of the garden fiasco, can be restored and we can have open communication with God.

Some of our relationships require us to make great sacrifices in order to maintain healthy communication that leads to growth.

Father, we are so thankful that you were not willing to lose communication with us after the fall of Adam and Eve.  Help us to be ever mindful that a great sacrifice was made so that we can talk with you.  Give us grace upon grace in our relationships so that we can communicate in a healthy, productive and robust manner so that we don't sever intimacy with others.