DAY 2

Genesis 3 & 4 and Matthew 3 & 4

From the beauty of creation and the birth of Jesus we now run smack into the Fall and Jesus’ Temptation. In some ways I want to cry out, “wait, can’t I linger a bit longer at day 1”? Yet isn't this what life can be like on some days, we a forced to move faster than we want to face the dark realities.

Genesis 3: We typically refer to this passage as The Fall. When people ask “Why is there pain and suffering and evil in the world?” We quickly respond, “The Fall.” Linger in the Garden a moment longer. Ponder Adam and Eve’s actions. Look for yourself; I see too much of myself. In verses 1-5 there is a basic dialog going on about doing what God has said not to do. How often do I do this? The answer is an uncomfortable one. In verse six we see Eve looking at the fruit enough to see it was a delight to the eyes. In the Letter to James, God cautions us to not stay long in the presence of temptation, it lures us and our desire grows and takes root and then we sin (cf. Jas 1:14-15). Rob Bell, a Seattle based pastor, produced a video series titled Nooma. One of his videos talks about this moment. He makes a simple point. It isn't that someone ate a piece fruit long ago; it is that I choose to eat it every day. The point of Genesis 3 is that I disobey God. Now I am an Episcopalian and Anglican, and one of our contributions to the world of Christianity is our prayer book: we literally call it the Book of Common Prayer. It is steeped in the reality that I (we) fall short each day. It is filled with prayers that invite me to return to the Lord, and it shares in beautiful English prose the certitude of God’s Love for me (and you) in Jesus Christ. Our Prayer Book invites us to “say our prayers” morning, noon and night. We even have them all written out for people. Each day I am invited to confess my sins. Each day I am reminded that I live Genesis 3, but each day I am also reminded of the Good News of God in Christ.

A few other random Genesis 3 thoughts: God was looking for Adam and Eve. To me this is one of those moments where we see God’s desire to have fellowship with us. Not that he needs to – he is God, but that he wants to! I wonder, did God kill the animals to give Adam and Eve clothes?

Genesis 4:  Be honest: do you think Cain got an unfair deal from God? It looks like he brought an offering to God and God didn’t like it. Here is one of those moments: don’t read the Bible linearly. If God chooses to be displeased with one of my offerings, then what should my response be? I think my response should be, “He is God, I am not” and I should ask God for forgiveness and insight. What is Cain’s reaction? Anger! What does Cain’s anger lead him to do? Kill Able!! We see his character emerge as the story unfolds. God saws Cain’s heart long before. Indeed He sees the hearts of each of us long before we bring our offering to him. It is hard sometimes for us to read the violence in the Bible. It is hard sometimes for us to have it seem like something was unfair. Yet as we read the Scriptures let me encourage you to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Not blind trust, but a willingness to seek understanding. This theme of trusting God will come up over and over again in the next 363 days of reading as we wrestle with what we read. We must learn to trust. The story of Cain and Abel is in part another step for us to do so.

It is interesting that God does not allow Cain to be killed. Here is a point for us to ponder. While there is much violence in the Old Testament, what I believe you will always find is God limiting it, as if to say to humanity, “Enough”! After God spares Cain’s life, it is amazing to me that Cain goes and builds a city. Then we have the lists of people, yet in the middle of those lists it seems as if Lamech (v.23) is playing God, and that people had stopped calling on the Name of the Lord. Why do I say this? In verse 26 it says at that time people began to call on the name of the Lord. It is completely spelled out, but we have moved from Cain who brought his offering to the Lord in person, and now only a few generations from Cain, people who seemed to have drifted from God.

Matthew 3 and 4: Genesis 3 and 4 are sobering, and if you have ever read the Bible you know we will continue to read about how humans, male and female, seem to play God. The gift of free will means we are allowed to love, fully love. The gift of free will means we are allowed to not love, to become self-centered to the point where the world suffers. Yet in Matthew 3 and 4 we read more Good News. John the Baptist is proclaiming that someone is coming to “put right” all that is wrong. People receive his message and ask, “What shall we do?” Simple: repent, turn from your evil ways, repent. Don’t overcharge people, share extra clothes, and be baptized. I love John the Baptist’s directness; it seems pretty straightforward.

Before I get too excited I am quickly reminded in Matthew 4 that this is not going to be easy. Here I read of God come to earth, Jesus, facing the devil. He wins – masterfully. Encouragingly Jesus uses God’s Word (glad we are reading it!). Yet the text says that Satan withdrew for a more opportune time. Can you believe it? The audacity of Satan: to actually challenge God! There is a point here for you and me, and it is huge: Satan does not give up easily, and, he is arrogant enough about himself to keep trying. We must not think our walk will be easy.

There is much more in Matthew, but I am over a thousand words and if you have already read the four chapters, and now you are reading this, I want to be mindful of your time. In that latter part of Matthew 4 Jesus is beginning his ministry. He is teaching and healing; it says he healed ALL who came to him. Let us come to him today to seek His forgiveness and receive His love.