It is commonly believed that Eve bit into an apple and brought sin and death upon the whole world..so for consistency sake, an apple it shall be.
What was it Eve about this fruit that enticed you? Was it red delicious? Possibly granny smith? My my...what big teeth you must have had, sinking into SIN.
But alas I presume, whether Eve or possibly a descendent after her, someone was bound to disobey the only commandment in the garden of Eden, not for hunger's sake, but for a glimpse into the life of a heavenly being, of God himself.
With this bite, we were forever separated from the God of the universe, the wonderful counselor, our Healer, our Redeemer, our King...
"It is your sins that have cut you off from God".. Isaiah 59:2...MY sins? I was not even in the garden...
I've been through my fair share of passing judgement...on Eve and Adam...
"Well if I was in that garden..."..."See now I would never do that..."... "I would choose God over...."...Yeah...I've been there...
Funny though...this choice happens every day..and everyday I find myself battling...and sadly..my spirit does not always win this struggle...
"I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway"..Romans 7:19...
I am sorry...what did you say Paul?
But Paul, how could you? You're a hero of the New Testament, battling snakes and demons, you've been through hell and back...oh no wait... that was John..But seriously, how could you struggle with sin?
"There is no one righteous not even one"- Romans 3:10..."
ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, no need to write 14 books about it, I get it, I'm a sinner, but see I can acknowledge that, I can accept the fact that I am wicked, sinful, full of evil desires and passions, with a constant thirst for more...
what I CANNOT understand, is why anyone let alone a PERFECT man would die....FOR ME...
See, I can accept forgiveness, from God, but...let me pay...something...anything...for what I've done...
I commonly find myself trying to buy my forgiveness, see I'll pray and ask for it, but then my time spent in prayer will increase, I'll go out of the way to do more good things...
I'll DO MORE in order to feel like I've earned what He has already given me FOR FREE...
Ever found yourself tipping more when the waitress gives you something on the house?
I mean what is it with us, why do we find it hard to accept a free gift?
I know what you're going to say...that nothing in this world is ever free...okay Debbie Downer..ok...I'll give it to you, the world, the things of this flesh...always has a catch..we are enslaved to sin, we are prisoners, paying a long sentence for the sins we did willfully,
but... God..well He is funny like that..He knew the price must be paid....and He is picking up the tab...there is LITERALLY nothing we can say or do that will change His mind...it is already DONE, it is FINISHED...
For every sinner there is A SAINT.
See over 2000 years ago it was not just a man, hung on a tree...
It was a debt being paid, a sentence being carried out, the debt collector, the ruler of darkness, he came and collected what was owed him....yet to this day, he wants us to believe that the price was not paid, so he keeps us as slaves even though our freedom was already bought, and that at a heavy price...
So what are we waiting for?
see Love died on that cross, Love paid our price, Love longs for the day we will walk out of this prison of sin and death...Love gave us a new identity...
We no longer stand in our own flesh...by our own strength...we've all been there, we cannot win this battle against the flesh on our own...and now we no longer have to..
(as written and posted for Souled Out: http://home.icanj.org/portfolio/souled-out-disciples-on-mission/)
