Listen

The woman saw that the tree was beautiful with delicious food and that the tree would provide wisdom, so she took some of its fruit and ate it, and also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then they both saw clearly and knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made garments for themselves.

Genesis 3:6-7

Think

This story reminds me of someone telling me as a child, “Are you sure you want to see this movie? Once you see it, you can never unsee it.” I wanted so badly to see it but knew deep down I might regret it. The movie was a scary movie at a camp setting, and it took me years after that to get in a canoe.

The woman gave into the temptation to be like God, yet the problem was that she only saw a glimpse, not the fullness of the world like God. And she couldn’t go back to the way things were before. Their knowledge robbed them of the closeness of their relationship with God, of a life lived without shame, and ultimately without sin.

Sin complicates our relationship with God, yet God still makes a way for us to be in relationship with God. Remember this when you’re sewing fig leaves together today and God invites you to seek healing and forgiveness.

Brian Foreman

Pray

God, hear my prayer for forgiveness when I act in ways that drive a wedge between you and me.

Hear my prayer of petition for a return to relationship.

Hear my prayer of gratitude for when you embrace me despite my shortcomings.

Amen.

Go

O God, who does not condemn us to death as a sinner
but who wants for us to be whole,
sense our repentance, forgive our sins,
and bring us back to the fullness of life with you. Amen.