Suggesting Otherwise

Recently, I've been reading about the Creation in Genesis.  I believe these first few chapters of the Bible tell us a lot about the character of God and the faults of humans.  The more I study the goings on in the garden of Eden, the more I notice a pattern.

Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit because it looks beautiful and delicious and they want wisdom.  As a result, they realize they are naked.  God punishes them for their wrong doing.

But He provides them with animal skins as clothing.

Eve's punishment is that she will have pain in childbirth, but the Lord still provides the humans with a way to reproduce and sustain their race.  Adam's punishment is that the ground will be cursed for him, but God still provides a way for man to create food.

Later, Cain kills Abel in jealousy over the Lord's preference to his brother's sacrifice.  He is punished by being banished from the land.  But God provides for his safety, putting his mark on Cain to warn off anyone who may want to harm him.

The pattern continues throughout the Old Testament with Noah and Abraham and Moses and the Israelites and countless others.  They chase some desire and end up sinning against God.  God punishes them, but He also provides for them.

Why do we believe that we must be in God's favor for Him to provide for us when there are so many examples that suggest otherwise?  Perhaps it isn't a consciously held belief, but when we try to "make a deal with God" that's basically what we're saying.

But the many stories in the Bible tell us that we are wrong.

When we do good, God provides.

When we sin against Him, God provides.

When we don't have the energy to ask, God provides.

It really doesn't matter the situation.

God provides.

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