[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":82},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-cool-of-the-day":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-cool-of-the-day-surround":71},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":13,"columnName":54,"date":55,"description":19,"extension":56,"image":57,"meta":58,"minRead":59,"navigation":60,"path":61,"postType":62,"publication":63,"publicationUrl":57,"seo":64,"stem":65,"topics":66,"__hash__":70},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-cool-of-the-day.md","The Cool of the Day",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9,10,11,12],"Genesis","John","Romans","Galatians",{"type":14,"value":15,"toc":50},"minimark",[16,20,23,26,29,32,35,47],[17,18,19],"p",{},"Genesis 3:8 says the Lord God came walking through the Garden of Eden \"in the cool of the day.\"",[17,21,22],{},"That's a picturesque phrase. Remember how it feels to walk outside on a summer morning? By mid-afternoon the hot sun will push temperatures into the 90s, but at 6:30 A.M. there's a cool breeze blowing and a refreshing blanket of dew on the grass. Or perhaps the cool of the day brings to mind a summer evening when work is done and it's time to rest, when the pressures of the day fade away with sunset and it seems that nature itself is getting ready for bed.",[17,24,25],{},"We enjoy walking in the cool of the day, but why did the Lord choose this particular time to stroll in the garden? \"God is spirit,\" Jesus declared (John 4:24), so the cool of the day wasn't designed for his own personal comfort. The Lord doesn't require air conditioning. If he takes delight in cool morning air or a pleasant evening breeze, it's because he made these things for his human creatures to enjoy.",[17,27,28],{},"Adam and Eve heard the Lord's voice in the garden where they had met with him many times before. With no sin coming between them, they enjoyed a satisfying relationship with each other and with the Lord. Even the joys of nature were amplified because the man and his wife were at peace with God. Each day brought sweet fellowship with their Maker, walking with God in the cool of the day.",[17,30,31],{},"But then came the serpent. Then came temptation, lies, rationalization, disobedience, shame, excuses, blame, separation, pain and death. Fear pushed fellowship aside. Instead of welcoming God's voice, Adam and Eve were so overwhelmed with guilt that they tried futilely to hide from the presence of the Lord. The blessings of the garden gave way to banishment. Even the earth's environment suffered because of their sin. Talk about global warming! Instead of walking with God in the cool of the day, Adam and Eve would have to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow.",[17,33,34],{},"To some who deny the truth of the Bible, this story sounds incredible and simplistic. They dismiss it as a myth. But those of us who believe the Bible is inspired and true find the Genesis account of creation and the fall of humanity amazingly accurate. Who can deny that we live in a wounded world? Who hasn't experienced the pain of broken relationships, the torment of guilt, the frustration of loss, and the fear of death?",[17,36,37,38,42,43,46],{},"What we lost through sin can only be restored through Christ. \"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord\" (Romans 6:23). We don't have to hide from the Lord, trying in vain to cover ourselves with fig leaves crafted by our own hands. Freely admitting our need for a Savior, we come to him in repentant faith and discover that all of us \"who were baptized into Christ have clothed ",[39,40,41],"span",{},"ourselves"," with Christ.\" Here \"there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for ",[39,44,45],{},"we"," are all one in Christ Jesus\" (Galatians 3:27-28). By God's grace, sweet fellowship is restored. Once again we can walk with the Lord and with each other in peace.",[17,48,49],{},"In these sin-scorched days far from Eden, the church ought to be the coolest place on earth.",{"title":51,"searchDepth":52,"depth":52,"links":53},"",2,[],"First Look","2008-11-16","md",null,{},3,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-cool-of-the-day","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":19},"articles\u002Fthe-cool-of-the-day",[67,68,69],"Biblical Theology","Christian Unity","Church Leadership","u1fB3ZMsqyJv46cJ9tzuCwaKzVdpVY2iCgfFBr4boqM",[72,77],{"title":73,"path":74,"stem":75,"description":76,"children":-1},"The Concierge","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-concierge","articles\u002Fthe-concierge","While staying in a hotel in Phoenix, I needed some photocopies of a document for a meeting I was leading. When I asked the attendant at the front desk for the location of the nearest copy machine, she said, \"Just ask the concierge. He will be glad to help you.\" Five minutes later I had my copies, free of charge.",{"title":78,"path":79,"stem":80,"description":81,"children":-1},"The Cost of Encouragement","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-cost-of-encouragement","articles\u002Fthe-cost-of-encouragement","Stationed at the bottom of the world, 59-year-old Dr. Ronald Shemenski was the only physician available to provide medical care for researchers at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. In April, though, Dr. Shemenski himself developed gallstones and inflammation of the pancreas, a life-threatening condition if he didn't get out of there quickly and receive the treatment he needed.",1790466180891]