You fell. Satan came to you in the form of a serpent. You listened to his words and forgot my own. You chose knowledge over relationship. You chose death over life. You chose to leave me, to disobey me. You shattered my heart with one crunch of tender flesh. Then you stepped on the pieces when I called to you. (Genesis 3:1-7)
You hid from Me! My priceless creation, my treasure that delighted to be with me, hid! I felt the ripping as our beings were torn from each other. I knew where you hid, of course. But my heart hurt so badly, I could not help but cry out for our lost connection.
"Where are you?! Where have you gone? Who has told you that you were naked? Did you do what I pleaded with you not to do? What I warned you of?" (Genesis 3:9-11)
"It's the woman." (Genesis 3:12)
"It's the serpent." (Genesis 3:13)
It was my heart! My anger to the serpent grew so hot that not even the tears of my deep sorrow could chill it. I cursed my own creation. The serpent lost his legs. But you? You lost Life! Still, my love for you could never be removed. I did not want to destroy you. I punished your womb, I cursed your soil, yes. That was the doing of your sin. But from that moment I began to plan redemption. You would not remain this way. (Genesis 3:14-19)
I loved you still! Even as Death had already stamped it's ghastly mark over your faces, I loved you. I made clothing for you. I knew that you had to leave the garden, but as I set an angel to gaurd the way, I mourned. I mourned so sharply and deeply. You were no longer in the garden. You were no longer intimately connected to my soul. The gap burned. (Genesis 3:21-24)
Yet, I could not be apart from you! I stayed as your first beautiful baby was born. I helped bring Cain into the world, exquisite in his newness. And then Abel came. I loved them, and rejoiced as they brought sacrifices to me. But Cain's heart...I warned him. I tried to comfort him, but his bitterness to his brother grew.
"Why are you angry? Sorrowful? Cain, when you do the right thing, you will be accepted into my presence! You will find joy and excitement as you commune with me! Please, be careful--sin and destruction is so close to you! Overcome! I made you to overcome." (Genesis 4:1-7)
When I saw the murder, I was sickened. My creation? My image bearer? KILLED?! Even then I loved you. Again, I had to punish. But I couldn't bring myself to destroy what I loved so dearly. You had brought the curse down upon yourself. The ground bore the marks, screamed in anguish. (Genesis 4:10)
"The land can no longer bear fruit for you. To live you must wander, restlessly roving the earth, away from where I am." It hurt you. You thought that I would not follow to watch over you. Do you still not know that I am with you always? I swore to punish seven times over any who touched your head. You had sinned, but I was fiercely fighting for you. No one touches my chosen. (Genesis 4:10-16)
Later, you began to call to me, and I delighted to answer. Each time you whispered my name, I was there. The moment your sacrifices were offered, I ran to be with you. And yet...you fell away from me. One by one, you broke my heart still further. I took Enoch from the earth, took him away from the desolation that was ravaging my once flawless world. I remembered the garden, I remembered Eden. I remembered the first time you looked at me...I recalled the first animal you named, and the moment your eyes beheld Eve. These memories stung like acid, stung like lies. You were no longer what you'd been. The distance between man and I grew so far that grief caused me to cry out regret that I had made you at all. So much love for you, and so much pain. You had become so evil that you thought of wickedness constantly. What once bore my image now become defiled to the point that I could scarcely be seen at all, and what I saw was only a twisted remnant that hurt me all the more. (Genesis 4:26-6:7)
And then...you. You who are reading this love letter right now. I thought of what the world would be like without you. I remembered my plans for your redemption, each thought and scheme entangled in my passion for who I made you to be. So, I began to search until I found one, one person who could carry on these dreams of mine.
Noah walked with me. I loved him all the more passionately for the fact that he alone called to me.
"I must end this. I will destroy the violence, the evil that corrodes each heart. Make an ark! I will save you, and I will save pieces of creation. I don't want your world empty. We will make a covenant, you and I."
This covenant stands still. My love for you is deeper than any anger. Remember this. From the moment you were torn from me to the moment when I saw nothing but sin in your hearts, my anger never outweighed my love for you, the one who bears my image. You were chosen. You are mine. (Genesis 6:13-21)
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