The Fall
God loved giving gifts to His kids, Adam and Eve.
But these weren’t the kind of presents that could fit in a box and be wrapped up with shiny paper and bows. No, they were better than that! God scattered stars across the sky and lit them up, like white twinkly lights. He gave them slow-moving, silly-looking, sleepy sloths and speedy, spotted cheetahs. Mighty trees with strong branches bursting with juicy fruits. See-through waters where scaly fish swam past spiny seahorses and crawling crabs. God gave Adam and Eve some good gifts to show them some important things about Himself: He was good, He loved them, He could always be trusted.
Then one day, along came Satan, who spoke lying words with his snaky tongue. He made Adam and Eve think, Hmmm, maybe God isn’t good. Maybe God doesn’t love us. Maybe God can’t be trusted. Satan whispered that to really be happy, they needed the one gift that God hadn’t given them—fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But instead of feeling happy after eating the fruit, Adam and Eve became very sad. Instead of being wise, they were ashamed.
Maybe you’re thinking after all this, God won’t want to give Adam and Eve any more gifts. But God had actually been waiting this whole time, until Adam and Eve had disobeyed and broken His one rule, to give them His best gift. What?! After they had disobeyed, He was going to give them His best gift? What could it be? What could God give His children that would be better than all the world? It was the gift that Adam and Eve most needed, the gift that would take away the sin that they had brought in, the gift that would smash their enemy’s head under Jesus’s foot. This gift would be a person who would make Adam and Eve remember that God was good, that God loved them, and that they could always trust Him.
God promised them His best, most perfect gift—the gift He had always wanted to give them: His Son, Jesus.
Discussion Questions
Can you think of a time that your mom or dad told you “no” to something that you really, really wanted? Why would your mom or dad, who love you, say “no” to something you really, really want?
Was there a time today that you disobeyed God? When you disobeyed, can you think of a lie that might have been whispered to your heart that made you think you’d be happier doing things your own way?
Do you think God was surprised when Adam and Eve ate the fruit off the tree?
This Advent devotional resource was produced by The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX. The original resource can be found here.
JumpstartCPC.com 
Wow! This passage really spoke to me about how critical it is to be grateful for what we have and not focused on what we don’t have. Always looking for that next thing that will bring happiness is such a disrespectful and hurtful thing to God, who has provided us with many blessings and good things. A content and grateful heart gives honor and praise to God.
Thanks Lindsay! I loved it too!