Opening Prayer
Gracious God, I put myself before you in this moment with waiting heart, expectant desire. Open my eyes that I may see your promise fulfilled; open my ears that I may hear your word whispered to my deepest being.
Amen.
Passage
Genesis 3:8-15
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?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Reflection - Mac McCarthy
A couple weeks ago my son brought home a math test with a pretty low score. My initial response was to get intense and demand an explanation. This is not acceptable work and you can do better! My wife responded differently. She gave him a hug and told him it would be okay. Facepalm.
The first thing God says after Adam and Eve sinned was “Where are you?” This question is just one word in Hebrew (*ayyekkah*), but is packed with theological truth. God comes looking for us when we sin. God welcomes us to confess our wrongdoing. God desires to forgive us and restore us.
God goes looking for Adam and Eve with a desire to give them a hug and tell them it would be okay. Yes, their actions would bring negative consequences. But God’s love would get the last word. Love would defeat the serpent. How do you imagine God when you make a mistake? What is God’s posture toward you when you do something wrong? Bring a mistake or failure to God in prayer. Imagine Jesus giving you a hug and telling you it’s going to be okay.
Closing Prayer
My Lord, may all that I have seen of you and all that I have heard from your word now enflesh itself in me. Send me from this place as the incarnate promise of life to all whose life I will touch this day.
Amen.