The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Monday, 25 May 2015 - "God actively sought lost humans"
Daily Scripture: Genesis 2:15 Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it. 16 Adonai, God, gave the person this order: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.”
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any wild animal which Adonai, God, had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You are not to eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden, 3 but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, ‘You are neither to eat from it nor touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “It is not true that you will surely die; 5 because God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths.
8 They heard the voice of Adonai, God, walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, so the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Adonai, God, among the trees in the garden. 9 Adonai, God, called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I ordered you not to eat?” 12 The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
Reflection Questions:
In Genesis’ second archetypal creation story, God put just one forbidden tree (“the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”) in Paradise. In what theologians call “the fall,” humans lost our innocence by doubting God’s wisdom, by trying to be God over our own lives. That story also introduced a key archetype about God. Even when humans go astray, and hide, God actively seeks us out: “The Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”
- In the story, Eve and Adam heeded the serpent, not God. Scholar H. L. Ellison wrote, “It seems clear that the voice was the expression of her inmost thoughts and desires.” (We do not need to believe snakes talk to recognize that insinuating voice in our own minds). Suddenly, they feared the God they had loved, stopped being loving partners and began blaming each other. In what ways do you find this to be at least a part of your story? What did it take (or what will it take) to help you stop hiding from God?
- If this were a journalistic report, it would be silly to think that the great God of the universe couldn’t locate two people hiding in the bushes. But Genesis gave us a haunting picture of God as a heartbroken parent, seeking a child gone astray: “Where are you?” In what ways did you hear God’s life-changing call? How does it echo through your life each day?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for not leaving me alone in the wilderness of my own making, for calling and seeking for me. Keep me close to your side as I walk through life’s journey with you. Amen.
Donna Karlen serves in Communications at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
“The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me …’” Ouch! You don’t see that on any Mother’s Day cards.
It certainly didn’t take long for humanity to act against God’s wishes. Followed almost instantly by turning against each other and casting blame.
But while the story of Adam and Eve outlines some of the worst in us, it also portrays the best about God. Simply put, God forgives. Adam and Eve were supposed to die if they ate the forbidden fruit. But while God is the ultimate judge, he is even more the ultimate loving parent. God so loved his created children that he couldn’t bear to lose them. He certainly disciplined them – isn’t that a part of being a loving parent? – but did not destroy them. God fully forgives because he fully loves. Want proof?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.”
On this Memorial Day as I think about how Christ died for me to be forgiven, I am grateful for those who died for me to be free.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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