This month I'm writing about the theme 31 Days of "Becoming More Yourself Than Ever" in conjunction with others who are doing 31 day series on all kinds of cool topics. Check them out here. For my posts, scroll down a couple of days to read days 1 & 2.
I had a very delightful and spiritually encouraging weekend with the women of All Saint's Episcopal Church in DC. Elizabeth and I stayed with good friends and got to catch up with them, in addition to the Saturday retreat where I shared about the Servant Jesus and our call to service: loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourself.
Last night we drove home. I was so excited to see Colin, my husband, and Brian, our little boy! But by the time the kids were in bed and Colin and I finally got to talking, I. was. in. a. mood. I was feeling overwhelmed at what needed to be done in the coming week. We began discussing Colin's birthday plans for the coming weekend and they were changing and I was tired and didn't like the need to make changes. And my "I have to have a plan and be in control" self started getting more and more annoyed and Satan was surely getting more and more delighted that I was pulling away from Colin, not drawing near. May Day! May Day!
Surely you can relate to this. It's like a washing machine stuck on a spin cycle - the "worry cycle," the "fear cycle," the "anger cycle" - spinning and spinning without any hope of an end ... unless someone comes and pulls the plug. The machine will not stop on it's own, unless, of course, it completely burns out.
People, there is something WRONG with our hearts.
We are inclined to get stuck in never-ending spin cycles. We need someone to pull the plug and we need a repair man.
* * *
God was with man in the beginning, enjoying being in and with his Creation, especially his image-bearers.
Satan was there too, prowling around, and he whispered a lie: You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of [the fruit of the forbidden tree] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5
In other words, Eve, you'll be like God. He's withholding something from you. Something you need to have. Go ahead. Eat the fruit. No major harm could come from it, in fact, you'll be BETTER off.
Eve looked at the fruit, admired it, desired it, ... and ate it. Adam was there and ate it too.
And something broke. Harm DID come. The relationships between God & man and man & woman changed.
Adam and Eve are embarrassed by each other's nakedness.
Adam and Eve hide from the Lord.
Adam blames Eve, who blames the serpent.
The intimacy of Eden is no more and no one is taking responsibility for his actions - it's someone else's fault.
* * *
Last night I was in a "mood." I wanted to use it as an excuse to be rude to Colin and despair of the coming week, and that was somehow justifiable because I was tired, things weren't going my way, and if HE would just change or my CIRCUMSTANCES were only different ...
all this after having a wonderful weekend thinking about the Lord, being encouraged by His word, celebrating His goodness and faithfulness.
People, there is something WRONG with our hearts.
I took my eye off of my Creator and looked to the beautiful fruit of being control of my own life and god of my little domain and anyone around me. You, too, take your eye off of your Creator.
Since Adam and Eve ate that fruit, our hearts are naturally inclined in this direction. We want to be like God. Romans 3 says no one seeks God ... we're all too busy trying to be our own gods! Put all of humanity together, each trying to be his own god and god for others, and, well, it doesn't take long to realize why things are a big 'ole mess!
What can we do about it?
That would be a topic for another post.
"See" you tomorrow!
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