Then the man and his wife heard the
sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day,
and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God
called to the man, “Where are you?”
Gen 3:8-9 (NIV)
Was
that me in the garden that warm sunny day resting in a bed of wildflowers under
a canopy of trees?
Unclothed
and unashamed, I closed my eyes feeling the gentle breeze tickle my cheek. My
friend, the serpent, awakened me for our stroll in the garden. We chatted
merrily as we wandered through the trails and along the stream.
My
mouth began to water as we reached the tree with the forbidden fruit. Every day
the serpent encouraged me to sample its delicious offerings. Always, I refused
and walked away.
But
not today.
The
fruit, so pleasing to my eyes, beckoned me like a long-lost friend. I took the
fruit and brought it to my lips. After seeing no harm come to me, my husband
took the next bite.
Everything
changed.
The
sweetness of the fruit turned bitter and our eyes were opened. I closed my eyes
tightly, willing them to return to the way things were. The serpent looked quite
pleased with himself when the Lord found us and swiftly passed judgment. We
were banished from our home forever.
As
we walked away from the garden into the strange land, I looked back to consider
all we had lost. A lone tear coursed down my cheek as the chasm between us widened
with each step. Emptiness replaced the joy in my heart.
Why, Oh Lord, do we trade the
perfection of Your love for the seductive lies of the world?
1 comment:
Beautiful reflection that made me pause this morning and think about the trade-offs I've made.
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