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Sometimes life doesn't go the way we expect, which can be especially discouraging when we've worked hard for a particular goal.
But when we feel like saying "What's the use," we have reason to hope, as we see in this imaginative portrait of Adam from the Once-A-Day Men & Women of the Bible Devotional. -Adam Forrest, Zondervan
The Struggles, Failures, and Hope of Adam
It is almost impossible to imagine what Adam's life was like in Eden. He was first and one-of-a-kind: no childhood, no parents, no schooling, no guilt, close contact with God, perfect world, a beautiful garden, knowing animals by name, a spouse created to be an ideal partner, only one rule to follow. Life today is vastly different.
Yet we can identify with Adam's struggles:
- He's embarrassed to admit mistakes and wants to avoid confronting his problems.
- His kids get into big trouble, spoiling many of his dreams for their future.
- He works harder and gets less done as life goes on.
- As an older adult, he has little to show for all his labors except a small farm and scattered grandchildren.
Yet even Adam had hope. Genesis 3:15 is God's first piece of Good News: Satan will be defeated; a Savior will come. That promise gave Adam hope, and still lifts us from the pits to the heavens, from "What's the use?" to "Praise the Lord!" When life seems barren and pointless, remember that even Adam, who had fallen the furthest, had this hope. [See Romans 5:14-17]
Jesus has come, salvation is won and the Bible promises another (second) coming at the end of time when all of our tears will be wiped away. Whenever you're discouraged, remember the Good News. [See 1 Cor. 15:22, 45]
Prayer
Lord, I need encouragement today because...
Adam after the Fall. Sculpture by Rodin.
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Learn more about Once-A-Day Men and Women of the Bible Devotional.
Discover more Once-a-Day Devotionals.
Suggested Posts
Listen to the Story of the Bible featuring the Creation story
Looking for Your Life's Purpose? via Paul Williams
The Good News about Failure via John Ortberg
(Image and some styling above are web-exclusive features not included in the text of Once-A-Day Men and Women of the Bible Devotional. Image of sculpture Adam (1881) by Auguste Rodin in Zwolle, the Netherlands; photo by Gerardus (own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's personal opinions are shared only for information purposes. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)
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