Are You Gazing At What God Has Forbidden?

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” — Genesis 3:6 NIV

When God placed Adam in the garden of Eden to dress and keep it, He charged Him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because of that command, Adam could move anywhere in the garden except to be around that forbidden tree.

There’s nowhere in scripture that says Adam went near the tree. It was Eve that drew near when the serpent approached her with questions about what God had said.

It’s not written anywhere that the serpent was on that forbidden tree when it conversed with Eve. But looking at how easy it was for Eve to plug the fruit, both of them were at least near the tree.

When Eve was conversing with the serpent, her focus wasn’t on the fruit of that tree but on the serpent. However, after hearing that her eyes would be opened to be like God, she did something outrageous.

In Genesis 3:6, scripture says Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye. Then, she took some and ate it. She gazed at what God had forbidden to disobey Him. Isn’t this happening in our generation? People go so close to where God has told them not to go, and they end up committing evil things.

Look at the life of Lot. When he had a fight with his cousin Abraham and had to part ways with him, he chose a land “seemingly” pleasing to his eyes — the plain of Jordan (Genesis 13:10), only to later end up in Sodom, a city full of evil.

What has God restricted you from going near? It could be a bad relationship, especially with an unbeliever or a wrong decision you want to take.

The devil is very subtle. He can present what is forbidden before God in a glamorous way to your eyes that you can fall for his deception. It happened to Eve in Eden, and it can happen to you if you aren’t careful.

It’s time to live by the dictates of God, not by your pleasures.
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The challenge is that when you gaze (stare for long) at what God has forbidden, it’ll possess your attention. And what is forbidden before God will suddenly appeal desirable to your eyes and mind.

Leave that unbelieving boyfriend or girlfriend God has told you to quit your ties with. Break your communications with friends who deny the power of godliness. Stop following that celebrity who is always serving your social media feed with lustful content. It’s time to live by the dictates of God, not by your pleasures.

You’re a blessing.

Prayer

Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask for the grace to resist what you’ve forbidden me from doing and continuing. Help me to live by Your dictates and not my flawed decisions, now and forever. Amen!

Devotional Code: KGD – 2023 – 101