The Desires of the Heart
As we were decorating the church yesterday for Vacation Bible School, I hadn’t eaten much, and I knew that my wife would often bring something to munch on. As I am tired and hungry, she says, “There is a bag of apples in the refrigerator." I was thinking that an apple would really hit the spot. Then she follows up, “Don’t eat any of them. They are going to be used by a teacher tomorrow.” The lesson for that day was on Adam and Eve being tempted by the “apple” in the garden. I had to chuckle about that one. Good news. My wife had brought some other things to eat so all was good. How easily our heart desires things. We long for things that are not our own. We are jealous of people that may seem better than we are. In our effort to be seen as upstanding, we willing hide our sins and faults from others instead of seeking forgiveness. We can all relate to be tempted by one thing or the other, but what we cannot fathom is being without sin. Adam and Eve didn’t have a natural desire to sin... to be prideful, jealous, tempted, egotistical, covetous, etc. They had a perfect relationship with God where they walked and talked with Him in the Garden. They longed for nothing. They had everything that any human could need. Sadly, included with the freedom that God gave us is also the ability to make bad choices. The serpent (the Devil) that tempted them first planted doubt about what God had said. Then He replaced it with an option that seemed good to them (eating the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil). We know that because of sin, we fall short of what God desires of us. Just think how far that fall is to go from a perfect sinless relationship with God to the condemnation of sin. The only way we will experience that true and perfect relationship with God is when God calls His faithful home to Heaven. He did, however, make it possible for us to be made new in Him through faith, forgiveness, and obedience. I heard someone say that there is a reason the serpent was cursed to crawl in the dust without legs or hands. Why? Because through Jesus, Satan has been (de)feeted and (dis)armed. Praise God! Father, I wish I could serve you perfectly without sin or unfaithfulness. Wash me and prepare me for service. Amen