The Time of the Evening Breeze (Part 2)

Walking with God when the pressure is off is absolutely marvelous.

Text for Today – Genesis 3:8 – And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day . . .

I love the thoughts this devotion brings to my heart and mind.  “The time of the evening breeze” speaks volumes concerning the mind-set of the Lord.  You will remember that it was in Isaiah that the Lord said, “Come, let us reason together . . .”  I know His point of that statement deals directly with our redemption.  At the same time, we must realize that His reason for coming to Adam in the “cool of the day” was all about His love for His man.  That is, after all, the whole point of redemption; showing His love for His man to His man.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that we should “take no thought for tomorrow.”  Look closely at that passage.  It is referring to the provision of your needs for living.  It does  NOT, however, refer to what you will do in your work for the Lord and service to  Him for the next day.  Oh, now there’s the joy of our Genesis passage. 

Have you ever tried to plan something important when all around you is stress, tension, and distraction?  I have, and simply stated, it just doesn’t work well.  I much prefer a quiet and as comfortable a place as possible for planning my day’s work for tomorrow.  Apparently, that is the mind of God as well.  He came to Adam in the garden in the “cool of the day,” at the “time of the evening breeze.” See this picture in your mind.  God had given His man two commandments.  (1) Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth, and (2) subdue the earth and have dominion over it.  Both of those responsibilities require planning.  Kevin Lehman, noted Christian author and counselor said, “Sex begins in the kitchen.”  In short, to keep your marital relationship where it needs to be you need to plan for special times.  By the same token, to be successful in your role in life, you need to plan for it.  God knows this, and that’s why He had already made plans for Christ’s crucifixion even before the foundation of the world was laid.  God is an extraordinary planner.

Now it’s times for us to imitate Him.  And eve more so, it’s time for us to learn how to run according to His schedule for our success.  He is NOT hooked to time, but in this present life, we are.  We have the command to “redeem the time.”  Part of that work is optimizing our time.  God hasn’t changed.  He will still come to you at “the time of the evening breeze,” that time of the day when you can be most relaxed and focused on what He desires and what you need to do in the “evening and morning” before you.  Planning with God for the work ahead prevents worry about that work.  So, daily, expect to hear the voice of God coming to you at “the time of the evening breeze.”

Manna for Today – Genesis 1-3; Ephesians 1:1-14; Revelation 13:8