When Eve comes to mind I often think of one thing, “She ate the fruit.” It was her sin that caused the fall of man, the banishment from the Garden of Eden, pain during childbirth and every other sorrow and heartache known to mankind. However, when I take an honest look at her actions I cannot condemn her. I know had I been in the same position I would have disobeyed God as well. I would like to look past the act that Eve is most known for and into other details of her life.
Eve was the first wife and mother. Can you imagine being the first woman in history to be married? No pre-marital counseling, no wise words from your mother and friends, no big wedding. Whose example would you have to look to for how to be a good wife? How would you respond to the physical part of marriage? What if you were the first woman on earth to experience pregnancy? Can you imagine what Eve must have felt as labor began and there wasn’t a doctor or midwife in sight? What an amazing experience it must have been for Eve to be the first woman to ever see or hold a baby.
I believe God probably gave Adam and Eve special guidance to handle these situation, but they were still human with all of our basic fears and misgivings.
Eve’s life perhaps calmed down a bit after she had been through marriage and childbirth. No doubt she invested her time raising her children and helping Adam as he worked the ground. She must have made a home for her family and taught her children about what life was like in the Garden of Eden. Eve’s life didn’t stay calm, though. As her children grew she saw a hatred develop between her two oldest sons. Poor Eve was the first mother to feel the effects of murder and death in her family. What must it have been like for her to see her first son banished from his home and her second son die?
Though she experienced unbelievable heartache in her life, she also experienced blessings from God. Eve talked with God one on one. She had a direct relationship with her Creator that no other woman has ever experienced. When Cain killed Abel, God blessed her with another son, Seth. Eve’s name means, “life” and she was the mother of all mankind. She is ancestor to every woman and man that live on this earth.
Eve is not so far removed from the life we live today. She experienced marriage, childbirth, sorrow, temptation and joy. Moreover, she didn’t have another woman that she could confide in and talk things over with. How did she do it? Undoubtedly she relied on her relationship with God to sustain her through difficult times. Let’s allow that same Lord to comfort and sustain us through our lives.
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