"IN THE COOL OF THE DAY"

"They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day" (Gen 3:8).

Though man had committed sin, God's love for him had not changed. Had He not loved man, He would not have come again to the garden to visit them. If His intention was only to punish him and put him out, He could have done that well enough by sending a single angel.

'Walking' in the original means, walking in the habitual way. So God was visiting His children in His habitual way. He did not come flying or running, as we often do when we want to punish our children for doing something naughty. What an example He has set for us!

''In the cool of the day" - 'Cool', in the original, also means 'wind'. Yes, there might have been a cool wind while God was walking. God brings with Him a cool wind. Sin makes man restless. He therefore needs comfort. Hence God might have come 'in the cool of the day' to comfort man in his distress.

When someone has done wrong and needs to be reproved or punished, before dealing with him, check your heart for any trace of anger or resentment. Let us not do anything in the heat of our temper. God does nothing rashly, and so shouldn't we.

A right word spoken at the wrong time is wrong; a right thing done at the wrong time or in the wrong way is wrong.

- TPM Morning Manna