Thoughts on Eden
On my desk is a prayer notebook with names of people listed inside. Some I know but many are strangers that I've met and took the time to ask them if there was anything I could offer up in prayer for them. It always amazes me how everyone has a prayer request. The human heart wants to believe there is a loving God that cares for them amidst all the pain in this world. All souls desire hope.
As I was looking at the names in my book I recalled a young woman that I had met in a drug store. She immediately engaged in conversation with me which led to the topic of God and church! She was so full of joy and wonder as we talked about deep things. After about 20 minutes of talking I saw her facial muscles go down and a look of despair come over her face. I asked what she was thinking and there it was...the dichotomy of what we know is God's will and what we desire in our own hearts. She asked me my opinion regarding a choice that she was struggling with and I told her that I would not tell her what I thought but what the bible says about it. It is sin just as so many other things in our hearts, minds and lives are. Its no different than a heart filled with unforgiveness or a mind that dwells on worshipping nature above the Creator. God's desire is that we choose to remain in His flock where we are safe and not wander out into territories of our own desires. Her demeanor changed instantly to a combative stance and I could see instantly that this was an area of her heart that she wanted her desires and not God's. It is at those precise moments where we choose WHO God IS or we make up our own version of a god to suit our desires.
We all have our "Eden" moments when we are not satisfied with all that God has given us but we yearn for the fruit that is forbidden. I believe the first thought that leads our minds to wander to the forbidden tree is, "I'm not happy." As soon as we let our eyes wander beyond the flock of God and not "Hold every thought captive unto God." 2 Corinthians 10:5. The pull on our hearts begins and our minds are hooked and begin getting reeled in.
Why was Eve even near the forbidden tree? She had the entire lush garden of delights and God's blessings all around her and available to her yet she wandered toward the forbidden tree. She gazed in it's direction and wondered if there was MORE. She allowed herself to go closer because she kept looking in that direction. Rather than keeping her eyes on God and all the goodness He gave her she chose to let the lure of MORE cast its hook through her focus. The mind and the heart are connected and where the mind goes the heart follows. So she went closer.
The closer we get to something the more of our visual span is consumed by the object. We can satisfy more curiosities. As Eve allowed herself to draw closer she was now able to hear the sounds that surrounded the forbidden tree. A voice whispered, too low to fully hear it she leaned in. The hiss spoke, "Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden?" The woman replied, "We must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." Eve is now engaged with "The Hissing More" and he has all of her attention. "You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Eve now directs her focus to the fruit and reckons in her mind that it is good for food, pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining MORE wisdom, so she eats of it. Her heart took what it wanted.(Adam was with her but that is a story for another day.)
Our craving for MORE starts with looking in the wrong direction. God wants our focus on Him and His goodness but when we choose to let our eyes wander it's then that our mind begins to toy with the object of desire. Like a cat who settles for a ball of yarn when its owner has so much more to offer. That playful ball of yarn doesn't offer us food, water, hugs, love, protection, true companionship...yet the eyes of the cat cannot resist it's appeal. We then throw our heart with wreakless abandon to the lure. Whether it be drugs, adultery, idolatry, sexual immorality, unforgiveness, a haughty spirit, gossip...we now have a new master. One that is fickle, two-faced, conditional and offers no long-term affection or safety. We are now at the mercy of the ravenous wolves and elements. Our souls are exposed to a master that cannot be trusted.
Just as the Apostle Peter sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus as he was called out upon the stormy seas (Matthew 14:29), we fall into cold, dark waters when we take our eyes off Jesus and choose our own way. But, praise be to God our Savior who will hear if we cry out, plunge His hand down into our darkness and pull us back into His presence of safety and goodness! Into His unconditional love.
There are foxes, coyotes, bears...out there my friends who are just waiting for a wandering lamb to leave the fold. When we choose to leave the presence of our Shepherd we are exposed and vulnerable to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual attacks that shred our souls. I recently read a quote from the Dalai Lama which said, "The purpose of our lives is to be happy." As I chuckled a bit and then felt sorrow for those who believe that, I realized that it is that exact mind-set that causes our eyes to look beyond the flock. If we cannot be happy with the Shepherd then God help us when we look elsewhere! The seach for happiness due to our discontent is just The Hissing Voice telling us that there is MORE out there, but there is not.
The "MORE" that we need is in Christ! Finding Joy in all our circumstances, experiencing His grace and compassion when we deal with loss, forgiving and reconnecting, loving more deeply, having a whole and healthy soul that is free of shame, families reunited or rebuilding a new family after the wreckage of divorce, sweet sleep, a calm and peaceful mind, a happy home, peace regarding our eternity, a body free from anxiety...
Little lambs, what your soul needs is not OUT THERE, it is in the fold. Our Shepherd promises us that no matter what is in this world that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). That doesn't mean that bad things will not happen but it does mean that it will all happen in His sovereign, merciful hands. Many people have seen horrors that this world dished out and as long as we are on this planet of discontent sin will continue. Our choice though is will we stay near to the Shepherd or will we run with the wolves till they themselves turn on us.
I know temptation and every time I followed it I left it's presence broken, filled with pain and shame. I was wounded there and it took many years for those deep wounds to heal. Outside the flock I numbed my pain and distracted my shriveled soul so that I could cope in the environment. When all the while I could have been with my Shepherd, my Savior, where I would have been safe and loved. My heart would have experienced true joy and not the unsatisfying pursuit of fleeting happiness. Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. When we make up a god who fits into "our" lifestyle we then have a distorted image of our perception of God. This invented idol lets us down, turns on us, leads us into paths of destruction and pain. We then question the real God's love when in truth it was our "idol of self desire" that disappointed us. As long as we want what we want rather than what He (Christ) wants for us, we will never know true joy or satifaction.
Cry out to Jesus little lamb for you are not out there in the darkness alone. He has come after you and is waiting on your cry for help. He will not turn from you but He will reach down and raise you up to His chest. In His great mercy, grace and love He will hold you tight and bring you home to the flock. There He will cleanse you of the scarlet stains and make you white as snow.
Isaiah 40:11, "He (God) tends His flock like a shepherd, He gathers His lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart."
Keep your gaze on Jesus.
On my desk is a prayer notebook with names of people listed inside. Some I know but many are strangers that I've met and took the time to ask them if there was anything I could offer up in prayer for them. It always amazes me how everyone has a prayer request. The human heart wants to believe there is a loving God that cares for them amidst all the pain in this world. All souls desire hope.
As I was looking at the names in my book I recalled a young woman that I had met in a drug store. She immediately engaged in conversation with me which led to the topic of God and church! She was so full of joy and wonder as we talked about deep things. After about 20 minutes of talking I saw her facial muscles go down and a look of despair come over her face. I asked what she was thinking and there it was...the dichotomy of what we know is God's will and what we desire in our own hearts. She asked me my opinion regarding a choice that she was struggling with and I told her that I would not tell her what I thought but what the bible says about it. It is sin just as so many other things in our hearts, minds and lives are. Its no different than a heart filled with unforgiveness or a mind that dwells on worshipping nature above the Creator. God's desire is that we choose to remain in His flock where we are safe and not wander out into territories of our own desires. Her demeanor changed instantly to a combative stance and I could see instantly that this was an area of her heart that she wanted her desires and not God's. It is at those precise moments where we choose WHO God IS or we make up our own version of a god to suit our desires.
We all have our "Eden" moments when we are not satisfied with all that God has given us but we yearn for the fruit that is forbidden. I believe the first thought that leads our minds to wander to the forbidden tree is, "I'm not happy." As soon as we let our eyes wander beyond the flock of God and not "Hold every thought captive unto God." 2 Corinthians 10:5. The pull on our hearts begins and our minds are hooked and begin getting reeled in.
Why was Eve even near the forbidden tree? She had the entire lush garden of delights and God's blessings all around her and available to her yet she wandered toward the forbidden tree. She gazed in it's direction and wondered if there was MORE. She allowed herself to go closer because she kept looking in that direction. Rather than keeping her eyes on God and all the goodness He gave her she chose to let the lure of MORE cast its hook through her focus. The mind and the heart are connected and where the mind goes the heart follows. So she went closer.
The closer we get to something the more of our visual span is consumed by the object. We can satisfy more curiosities. As Eve allowed herself to draw closer she was now able to hear the sounds that surrounded the forbidden tree. A voice whispered, too low to fully hear it she leaned in. The hiss spoke, "Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden?" The woman replied, "We must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." Eve is now engaged with "The Hissing More" and he has all of her attention. "You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Eve now directs her focus to the fruit and reckons in her mind that it is good for food, pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining MORE wisdom, so she eats of it. Her heart took what it wanted.(Adam was with her but that is a story for another day.)
Our craving for MORE starts with looking in the wrong direction. God wants our focus on Him and His goodness but when we choose to let our eyes wander it's then that our mind begins to toy with the object of desire. Like a cat who settles for a ball of yarn when its owner has so much more to offer. That playful ball of yarn doesn't offer us food, water, hugs, love, protection, true companionship...yet the eyes of the cat cannot resist it's appeal. We then throw our heart with wreakless abandon to the lure. Whether it be drugs, adultery, idolatry, sexual immorality, unforgiveness, a haughty spirit, gossip...we now have a new master. One that is fickle, two-faced, conditional and offers no long-term affection or safety. We are now at the mercy of the ravenous wolves and elements. Our souls are exposed to a master that cannot be trusted.
Just as the Apostle Peter sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus as he was called out upon the stormy seas (Matthew 14:29), we fall into cold, dark waters when we take our eyes off Jesus and choose our own way. But, praise be to God our Savior who will hear if we cry out, plunge His hand down into our darkness and pull us back into His presence of safety and goodness! Into His unconditional love.
There are foxes, coyotes, bears...out there my friends who are just waiting for a wandering lamb to leave the fold. When we choose to leave the presence of our Shepherd we are exposed and vulnerable to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual attacks that shred our souls. I recently read a quote from the Dalai Lama which said, "The purpose of our lives is to be happy." As I chuckled a bit and then felt sorrow for those who believe that, I realized that it is that exact mind-set that causes our eyes to look beyond the flock. If we cannot be happy with the Shepherd then God help us when we look elsewhere! The seach for happiness due to our discontent is just The Hissing Voice telling us that there is MORE out there, but there is not.
The "MORE" that we need is in Christ! Finding Joy in all our circumstances, experiencing His grace and compassion when we deal with loss, forgiving and reconnecting, loving more deeply, having a whole and healthy soul that is free of shame, families reunited or rebuilding a new family after the wreckage of divorce, sweet sleep, a calm and peaceful mind, a happy home, peace regarding our eternity, a body free from anxiety...
Little lambs, what your soul needs is not OUT THERE, it is in the fold. Our Shepherd promises us that no matter what is in this world that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). That doesn't mean that bad things will not happen but it does mean that it will all happen in His sovereign, merciful hands. Many people have seen horrors that this world dished out and as long as we are on this planet of discontent sin will continue. Our choice though is will we stay near to the Shepherd or will we run with the wolves till they themselves turn on us.
I know temptation and every time I followed it I left it's presence broken, filled with pain and shame. I was wounded there and it took many years for those deep wounds to heal. Outside the flock I numbed my pain and distracted my shriveled soul so that I could cope in the environment. When all the while I could have been with my Shepherd, my Savior, where I would have been safe and loved. My heart would have experienced true joy and not the unsatisfying pursuit of fleeting happiness. Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. When we make up a god who fits into "our" lifestyle we then have a distorted image of our perception of God. This invented idol lets us down, turns on us, leads us into paths of destruction and pain. We then question the real God's love when in truth it was our "idol of self desire" that disappointed us. As long as we want what we want rather than what He (Christ) wants for us, we will never know true joy or satifaction.
Cry out to Jesus little lamb for you are not out there in the darkness alone. He has come after you and is waiting on your cry for help. He will not turn from you but He will reach down and raise you up to His chest. In His great mercy, grace and love He will hold you tight and bring you home to the flock. There He will cleanse you of the scarlet stains and make you white as snow.
Isaiah 40:11, "He (God) tends His flock like a shepherd, He gathers His lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart."
Keep your gaze on Jesus.
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