Genesis 3:1-7
Genesis 3:1-7
From the very beginning we humans were not content with being creatures, being part of God's creation. No, we wanted more, we wanted to be more like God, we wanted to be gods. Theologians have pondered and argued across the ages--what was it about the fruit of that tree in Eden? Why would God place it in the center and then tell Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit. As any parent knows this is a sure fire way to get a child to eat such fruit. Perhaps the fall, Adam and Eve's disobedience was planned from the start. Or perhaps God intended Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit but not yet, after all they were new beings, still infants, still children. Or perhaps our original sin was not really disobedience, rather the desire to be a god, rather than rejoicing in being creatures, in being a part of creation, rather than being content with what and who we are, who God created us to be.
For this day, just this one short day. Let us rejoice in being creatures of the Creator. Let us take comfort that we are not in charge, we do not have all the answers. Let us rejoice in knowing that all we must do is love freely just as we have been loved, regardless of our disobedience, regardless of our failures, regardless of our sin. Let us rejoice in love this one short day. Amen.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’2The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;3but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’4But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die;5for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,* knowing good and evil.’6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
From the very beginning we humans were not content with being creatures, being part of God's creation. No, we wanted more, we wanted to be more like God, we wanted to be gods. Theologians have pondered and argued across the ages--what was it about the fruit of that tree in Eden? Why would God place it in the center and then tell Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit. As any parent knows this is a sure fire way to get a child to eat such fruit. Perhaps the fall, Adam and Eve's disobedience was planned from the start. Or perhaps God intended Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit but not yet, after all they were new beings, still infants, still children. Or perhaps our original sin was not really disobedience, rather the desire to be a god, rather than rejoicing in being creatures, in being a part of creation, rather than being content with what and who we are, who God created us to be.
For this day, just this one short day. Let us rejoice in being creatures of the Creator. Let us take comfort that we are not in charge, we do not have all the answers. Let us rejoice in knowing that all we must do is love freely just as we have been loved, regardless of our disobedience, regardless of our failures, regardless of our sin. Let us rejoice in love this one short day. Amen.
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