It is too bad that Adam rebelled. The garden would have been a nice place to live. The Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates was not always as embattled as it now is. Genesis tells us that God would take walks with his people in the cool of the evening through that beautiful garden. Can you imagine the peace in that time? How marvelous it would have been to walk those trails with God and without a care in the world.
But sadly, Adam and Eve rebelled against God, and passed on that rebellious spirit to all their children. In fact, after just a few generations we read, "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart" (Genesis 6:5-6). Even when God sent the terrible flood to destroy rebellious mankind, those waters were not able to wash that rebellion from our hearts. For as God was smelling the pleasing aroma of Noah's sacrifice of thanksgiving, "the LORD said in His heart, 'I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth'" (Genesis 8:21). Only the grace of our loving God can save us from our rebellious sin.
Luke records for us God's own prescription for our rebellious tendencies. First, Jesus must be conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit. He must live in perfect obedience to make us right in God's eyes. Then, He must suffer and die on the cross to remove the curse our rebellion brought upon us. In our Baptism, Jesus puts to death our sinful rebellion each day, fills us with His Holy Spirit, and empowers us to deny ourselves, carry our crosses, and follow Him.
The day is coming when Christ will return. He will establish a new heaven and earth. On that day all rebellion will be removed from our hearts forever, and we will inherit the earth with all believers, walking with God forever.
THE PRAYER: Holy Spirit, grant me fortitude and perseverance to faithfully await our Savior's return, daily dying to myself and living obedient to You. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
By Pastor Ben Hoyer
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Lake Mary, Florida
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