- photo by Susan PageMy word choice for 2025 is … Wonder. This word speaks to me in diverse ways. I love the wonder of creation. The fact that God knows every hair on our heads is a wonder!

The word wonder pops into my brain in question form. The first time it came up was on January 1st when I began reading the Chronological Bible Plan.

Let’s start at the very beginning where my wondering and wandering began.

It all started in the story of creation. It was in the Garden of Eden where God provided Adam and Eve with all they would ever need. Lush vegetation and beautiful trees that were pleasant to view provided their daily food. A clear pure sparkling river watered the garden. We can only begin to imagine how fertile and magnificent this perfect paradise was. Don’t you wonder what it would be like to have a glimpse of an unspoiled world?

In the middle of the garden was the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Lord told Adam that he could eat from any tree in the garden, except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then the Lord formed the majestic animal kingdom. He allowed Adam to name each species. I wonder how fun that was! After this, God made a suitable partner for Adam, a woman, called Eve, because she was made from one of Adam’s ribs. What a wonder!

We’re only three chapters into Genesis before perfection starts to crumble. The tongue-in-cheek question I asked as I read Genesis 3 was, “I wonder who is at fault?”

The devil, in the form of a serpent, goaded Eve into disobeying God. The devil seduced Eve with his lies. She saw that the fruit was pleasing and desirable and succumbed to temptation. She took the fruit, ate it and gave some to Adam and without resistance, he ate.

Yet, when the LORD God came for a walk in the garden in the cool of the day, Adam and Eve hid because they were ashamed. God called to them, “Where are you?” Adam answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked?”

The blame game started when God asked if they had eaten from the forbidden tree. Adam blamed Eve and God, “The woman You put here with me, she gave me some from the tree and I ate it.” Eve said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

I wonder who is at fault?

I ask this question realizing that nothing much has changed over time. Think about it. Kids blame their parents for their issues, the adulterer blames their spouse, the criminal blames society and the politicians blame the opposing parties. We’re all familiar with the phrase, “The devil made me do it!”

I wonder who is at fault?

We live in a fallen world, and are all responsible for our choices, just as Adam and Eve were. God created us with the gift of free will. The Gospel news is that in the same chapter of Genesis, we see the first glimpse of the promise of redemption. “So, the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock … And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.”

When we stop rationalizing our sins, confess and ask Jesus to free us, cleanse us and be our Lord and Saviour, we can stop wondering who is at fault. We can confidently trust the One who came to this earth to die for our sins, ultimately crushing and defeating the enemy.

Instead of asking “I wonder, who is at fault?” I’d rather focus on acknowledging I am a sinner saved by grace so I can confidently sing, … “O the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all, just to think that God loves me!”

Praise God, it is a wonder!

Susan Page is the daughter of the King, His beloved child, wonderfully forgiven and blessed! Susan longs to age gracefully, becoming more like Jesus as she seeks the hidden treasures revealed to her through Scripture, literature, the arts, humankind, and nature.