Lessons & Carols: Fallen

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The First Lesson: Genesis 3: 8–15; 17–19

The man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent tricked me, and I ate." The LORD God said to the serpent,

"Because you have done this,

cursed are you among all animals

and among all wild creatures;

upon your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will strike your head,

and you will strike his heel."

And to the man he said,

‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife,

and have eaten of the tree

about which I commanded you,

You shall not eat of it”,

cursed is the ground because of you;

in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread

until you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken;

you are dust,

and to dust you shall return."

40 Days: Day 3: Wilderness

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For those of you taking on spiritual disciplines for Lent, I have questions for you. Is the Honeymoon over yet? Are you tempted to break those commitments you have made for the season? Do you feel more like you're wrestling with your will to stay disciplined? Does the struggle with Lenten disciplines remind you of the way you struggle with sin? 

You're not alone. Everyone feels that way at some point in the journey. Some wrestle with these feelings every day. Since the first temptation in the garden, humans have struggled to live up to their potential as God's people. Even Christ.

Every temptation is a challenge to our identity. It is that moment when we want to be our own god and be in control of our own lives. We forget that we are human—dust creatures, lovingly made in the image of God. 

Our lives belong to God. We are totally dependent upon God for our existence and sustenance. We are broken and in need of repair and salvation. And God has big plans for us.

We are made in the mage of God. That's something special to consider. Too often we excuse our failures to temptation with the phrase "I'm only human." Jesus showed us how to be "Fully Human." He showed us our potential as a people made in the image of God.

So don't let the temptations and failures define you. You are a beloved child of God in need of God's grace. You are never alone. Let's follow the way of Christ. Let's move forward together in humility and gratitude as people of God.