Reading: Genesis 3

Genesis 3:9 – “The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God.”

Continuing on from chapter 2, where we saw God’s desire to care for, to provide for to be in relationship with humanity, today we read of temptation and sin and of the broken relationships these evils produce. The snake, long identified with Satan, “tricks” the woman and man into eating from one of the forbidden trees. The woman initially resists, but the snake persists. Using a half-truth the snake tempts the man and woman enough. They both eat and they see their nakedness. Their initial shame leads them to cover this condition.

Later the man and woman hear God walking in the garden. In verse 8 we read, “The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God.” Their continuing shame leads them to try to hide from God. Yet God calls out. Death could have come the moment they ate the forbidden fruit. But here our God of mercy and grace calls out. Yes, there are consequences to their sin, as there often are in our lives. Yet God is right there, fully present to the man and woman. Death will come, eventually, as they are sent out of the garden, seemingly forever away from the tree of life – the tree that would allow them to live forever.

This rebellion in the garden is just the first of many. Countless sins have led to countless breaches in our relationship with God. And equally countless offerings of mercy and grace have reconciled these breaches. This struggle with sin is and will be our reality. The struggle, as John Wesley wrote, “will continue while there is a godly man on this side of heaven, and a wicked man on this side of hell.” Grace and mercy will likewise persist and will eventually triumph on the final day. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, it can be easy to read this chapter and to look down on, to judge, to compare. And there sin is again, knocking on the door of our heart. Help us to see ourselves fully present in this story, in the struggle. There we recognize and appreciate and ready ourselves to receive the grace and mercy we so often need. Thank you, Lord, for always having more mercy and grace. Amen.