He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 40:3a

Monday, February 7, 2022

Our Broken World

  Hearing the crash on the floor, I charged into the dining room. Five year old Jason was watching the water pour out of his snow globe around the fragments of glass splintered everywhere.  “I just wanted to hold it,” he said, tears streaming down his face.  “It’s broken,” he said, crying harder.   Scooping him out of danger from broken glass I snuggled him close, as he grieved the loss of a special gift from his grandmother.  

       Reflecting later on the incident I considered the loss of the world that had lived in that snow globe.  It was protected by the water and glass which surrounded it.  Once broken, however, repair was impossible; the shards of glass representing the perfection which was, now filled with jagged edges that could slice a finger or hand even in the effort of trying to do clean up.


When I think of the original ‘living space’ on the Earth within the Garden of Eden, filled with perfection for its original inhabitants, their world was a little like the elements held within the snow globe.  It brought delight, peace and a way of life that could not be replaced once Satan entered and shattered ‘the glass’.


Once out of the Garden, Satan had a ‘toe-hold’; and emboldened him to work in the hearts of all those who followed.  There was jealousy, greed, murder, lust and the list seems endless.  The lure of Satan captured the thought processes of every person in existence, and the perfect world seems beyond repair.  We’ve become a world where sinning is acceptable and encouraged through behaviors that are now considered perfectly normal.


Yet, as Believers we can know that we are not alone, even as sin tempts each of us every day.  The lure is there, and none, can escape it.  But it takes effort.  God spent time with Adam and Eve in the Garden.  They communed daily with the Living God.  They had walks and talks with him and God gave them everything around them, even ruler-ship of all that was, with a single caution, “Don’t eat or touch the tree in the center of the garden.”


That must have been quite the lure.  It wasn’t hidden in the corner beneath other brush which could hardly be seen.  But probably something that was beautiful which tested their faith.  They apparently didn’t question the command until Satan enticed them with thoughts that melted their reserve and they ate.  That’s not much different than how it is in our world now.  Satan if forever enticing us with different kinds of temptations that feeds on our weaknesses.


Our only hope is to be like Adam and Eve as the original couple who spent priceless time with the Father daily, walking and talking with Him.  Consider the grandness of this scenario.  Is it possible to have the same relationship with God that they had?  I contend yes!  We have the Living Word, the Messiah who absolutely wants to walk and talk with us; who wants to guide us, shape us and build us into the human beings who have perfect peace with him and live in harmony with our brothers and sisters in Christ, who will lead the church.


I fervently believe God can absolutely talk to us!  But are we like Adam and Eve hiding in the shadows in an attempt to hide our sins?  Are we thinking we know better than God about what is right and wrong?  Do we doubt God’s capabilities?


Satan will use whatever method he thinks best to beguile us into doing the wrong thing, just like he did in the Garden.  We have to choose to ‘live’ in that perfect garden, even though sinning is a part of life, because our hearts are now forever tainted.  But when we ‘walk and talk’ with God daily, the ‘wall of Christ’ can wrap around us, making the temptations of the world less alluring; and reminds us that when we confess our sins and turn away from them, God is still with us and forgives.


Photo Credit: https://www.google.com/searchq=free+pictures+of+snow+globes&tbm=isch&chips



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