“Neverthoughta-thats”

Gensesis 3:1-3 NASB “1Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 

COVID19 brought with it a dangerous philosophy in my opinion. The disease to be sure is dangerous if not fatal. There is no arguing that. As to the treatment and the notification of dangers there is undoubtedly more to be discovered. Again, not worried about that either. What does concern me is the “never-thought-a-that” type of peculiarities of the disease. What’s more, I can’t even give you an example because “I’ve never thought of that” kinda implies within its naming that I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!

Specifically the haven’t thought of that of the disease is what could concern me to the point of paralysis. What it could deter in my plans and efforts because of the danger of the “Never thought of that’s” punitive justice! The “never thought of that” regarding long term care for my family. The “never thought of that” regarding who is going to walk my children down the aisle. The “never thought of that” regarding the attendance at graduation, at daddy-daughter dances, at all of the plethora of celebrations that disease, death, and destruction love to interrupt.

If we look back to Genesis 3 we see that character of the serpent introduced as “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.” The word translated crafty is ‘ā·rūm. This word is used once in Genesis means crafty and the rest of the time in Proverbs meaning prudent.

I don’t believe the snake was being prudent but rather being shifty, crafty, or cunning. That is exactly why I think never thoughta that is so treacherous. And what’s worse, we all are subject to the never thoughta that because we cannot possibly hold in our minds every little thing that will happen to every single person every single day except One. It is this point that I want to suggest it would behoove you and I to connect with the One Who has thoughta that. In fact, with the One Who made all of that!

Jesus did not create evil. God allowed it because He allows for us to rebel so that we are free agents who rebel. God did not hope to choose to kill His Son, we did that. Jesus did not create hurt, angst, murder, lust, etc. Jesus did allow for His beloved creations to choose to rebel and in so doing, allow for His chosen to go there own way to destruction. (cf. Genesis 3)

All of these acts of rebellion we never thoughta that but Jesus, in His foreknowledge already thoughta that! Jesus knew we would choose sin over Him and He died anyway, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus knew that we would reject the free gift of Himself and took my and your place on the cross as payment for our sin. Jesus did thinka that!

In my relatively recent past I recall one teacher instructing, when Satan offered Eve the fruit, she already had everything she could ever want, need, or dream of. Yet because she wanted more than the good, Satan gave her something that would mar humanity until the cross. Satan offered Eve the way to hell. Reject Jesus, you get all that hell has to offer. For those who think it sounds like a pretty good deal, remember, Satan is in hell, but Satan is not over hell. In Revelation 20:14, 15 we are told, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

God in His mercy has extended the joys of heaven and being with His Son, Jesus for all eternity. The only alternitive is hell, which will at some point be thrown in the lake of fire and suffering for all eternity there! So, the neverthoughta-that I would present to you is this.

God loves you and I. God wants a relationship with you and I. God sent His own Son to die in our place so that you and I might have a loving intimate relationship with Him. Jesus loves you and wants that relationship. But He will not force you to repent. It must be your decision. As such, if you’re sitting there face to face with the never-thoughta-that of His forgiveness and grace in place of your misdeeds, rebellion, and hated, why not make a change?

The crafty serpent ends up burning in the lake of fire for all eternity, I read how it ends. Crafty does not equal redeemed. The Savior beckons you simply to come to Him, so submit your life to Him, and to be saved by Jesus amazing grace once and for all. The never-thoughta-thats can end today! Then you can switch to the thank-you-for-thats of Jesus amazing grace! Blessings as you go!