A Joy Story – June 19, 2021

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.
Genesis 3:15

A Joy Story

When Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God, they deliberately disobeyed God and justly deserved the divine sentence of eternal death on themselves and the whole human race. But God demonstrated his great love not only for Adam and Eve but also for all their descendants. He made a promise! He would send a Savior to suffer the punishment for the sins of all people!

God explained his eternal plan for the salvation of sinners. One born of the woman—that’s Jesus—would “crush [Satan’s] head.” Yes, Satan would “strike his heel”—Jesus would suffer and die—but by his death and resurrection, Jesus would rescue all humanity from the power of the devil and free them from the curse of sin.

This promise of God revealed God’s eternal plan of salvation. It was a promise that, like a flower not yet seen on the plant from which it will grow, is nevertheless coming into bud. It would be fulfilled! The promise would one day flower and flourish. This was the hope of the people in the Old Testament.

Finally, God fulfilled his promise, and in his love for all people, sent Jesus into the world to save us. Our gracious God took the sad story of man’s fall and changed the outcome into good news for us. The devil’s horrifying deed was overcome by the power of God’s sweet promise. Now that’s a true story that fills our life with real joy!

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for your great love that moved you to promise and send your Son to rescue me from the power of Satan. Fill my heart with the joy of knowing Jesus as my Savior from sin and death. Amen.