Day 2 – The Fall - Genesis 3:1-24
Today we see the human response to all of the good things God has done. The response is an epic failure. The relationship with God is broken by Adam and Eve. This disobedience, which we know as sin, is introduced into creation. And creation has never been the same! Humanity’s relationship with God breaks apart from our side.
We also see the consequences of sin: broken relationships with God, with each other, and with God’s creation. Death becomes real not only when it physically comes, but in some manner, grips onto us in every aspect of life, from the very start of our time here.
This story is very counter cultural to the current mythos of life in our culture. There is a strong current of thought that we are basically good, and all we need is education, plus a little sprucing up. The future of humanity, through our own effort, is ever onward and upward. The events in Genesis 3 point in a different direction: we are disposed to sin, and nothing we can do, on our own, will ultimately free us from this direction. No matter how much technology may improve, underneath we are still live out the same failings. What have you observed in your own life, in the life of those around us, and in the world at large? How does your starting point affect where you look for help?
The passage discusses guilt and shame. What in your own life has caused you guilt and shame? How have you dealt with it?
Sin often promises pleasure, knowledge, and a completion of all we desire. Yet, over and over, we experience that sin leads in the exact opposite direction. But we can’t help ourselves. What has been your own experience with sin? How have you dealt with this?
In Christ,
Pastor Randy
I think the balance between good and evil in this world and in our lives is directly proportionate to God's influence in our lives. It is hard not to hate others that harm you. Sometimes it is easier to love a stranger than a relative. As I watched the memorial for the victims in Arizona on television,the Bible was quoted by all, including our President.
ReplyDeleteWe can fight evil and sin with God's love and influence but we have to let that love and goodness enter our spirit and our daily lives. Personally I have found that all of us,even ministers that I have known in the past have difficulties with this. Jesus has told us "To sin no more." knowing that we have already.