Eve,

Today I felt a song spring from the depths of my soul. The song was only a melody and one word, “Oh.” But it felt like the release of an inner mourning.

As I sat at the keyboard and sang the melody, my spirit turned my thoughts toward sin and the consequences of sin. At Christmastime, we sing, “Mary, did you know?” but I am now wondering, “Eve, did you know?” Did you know how much pain you were ushering into the world? Did you know that grief would feel like a knife in the heart, like drowning, like being pulled down, down, down under tumultuous waves? Did you know about tears? Did you have any idea how soul-crushing it would be for your sons and daughters to get their hopes up and then feel the sting of rejection, like a door slamming in their faces?

Could you have paused before listening to the serpent to consider? Consider God’s character. Consider the melody of the voice of the One who walked with you in the cool of the day. Consider the warmth of His laughter, the fire in His eyes. Consider how His very presence makes you feel whole. Consider that He Himself is love, and that love does not lie or mislead.

Eve, did you know? Did you know that one of your sons would be murdered and the other would be the murderer? Did you know that wars would break out, children would starve to death, disease would ravish nations, the unborn would be dissected and laid on the altar of selfishness?

Did you know what a frown is? Had you any idea that our bones could be broken, skin could be torn, and blood could be poured out? Did you know the chasm you created between us and our Father and Creator?

I feel the grief of sin so heavily tonight.

Had you any knowledge that a lightning strike would cause a wildfire? Had you an inkling that tsunamis would ravage civilization? Tornados, dust storms, plagues, hurricanes, floods. Did Eden give any indication that nature could be deadly? Did any of the animals bite? Were mosquitoes in the Garden?

Were you not satisfied in the presence of the Living God?

Kings, provinces, politics. Greed, rape, assassination. Torture, lust, addiction.

Eve, did you know?

No wonder the only thing mentioned in scripture that impresses Jesus is faith.

Faith says, “God, I believe You are who You say You are and You will do what You say You will do.” Faith says, “I believe You.” Faith does not listen to the enemy’s lies. Faith remembers the fullness of joy found in the Father’s presence. Faith recalls that peace is nowhere other than in God’s arms. Faith sees impossible situations as nonexistent because it knows that God is King of kings, Lord of lords, reigning on the throne. Faith understands that the same God who spoke the cosmos into creation knows the number of hairs on each person’s head. Faith gives no room for doubt.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We have not seen God, but we know Him. We hope for the chasm to be destroyed permanently forever. We long to walk with Him, to hear His laugh, to see His eyes gleam. We yearn for His unbroken communion.

“I was made by You
I was made for You
I am unfulfilled without full communion”