Learning and Growing

My family (+Jeff Hardin, +Peyton Hardin, & +Brittany Hardin) started a new Bible study this week.  Jeff led the early morning study on Monday, Brittany led it yesterday, and today was my day.  We are using The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones as a guide.  Once we read the day's "story," we follow it up by reading from the Bible (whatever scripture the day's story references). 

Today's study was on Adam & Eve and "The Terrible Lie," taken from Genesis 3, found on page 28 of The Jesus Storybook Bible.  As I was reading the story, I began to cry.  I WAS OVERWHELMED!  I just want to share the text that broke me with you, and then follow it up with some comments.  Adam & Eve had just been manipulated by Satan (the snake) and eaten from the Tree of Knowledge (they had been forbidden to eat from this tree).

"And it wasn't a dream.  It was a nightmare.

A dove flew from Adam's hand. A deer darted in a thicket.  It was as if they were frightened by something.  A chill was in the air.  Something strange was happening. They had always been naked - but now they felt naked, and wrong, and they didn't want anyone to see them.  So they hid.

Later that evening, as God was taking his walk, he called to them. 'Children?'

Usually, Adam and Eve loved to hear God's voice and would run to him.  But this time, they ran away from him and hid in the shadows.

'Where are you?' God called.

'Hiding," Adam said. 'We're afraid of you.'

'Did you eat the fruit I told you not to eat?' God asked them.

Adam said, 'Eve made me do it!'

'What have you done?' God asked.

Eve said, 'The serpent made me do it!'

And terrible pain came into God's heart.  His children hadn't just broken the one rule; they had broken God's heart. They had broken their wonderful relationship with him.  And now he knew everything else would break. God's creation would start to unravel, and come undone, and go wrong.  From now on everything would die - even though it was all supposed to last forever.

You see, sin had come into God's perfect world. And it would never leave. God's children would always be running away from him and hiding in the dark. Their hearts would break now, and never work properly again. God couldn't let his children live forever, not in such pain, not without him.  There was only one way to protect them.

'You will have to leave the garden now,' God told his children, his eyes filling with tears. 'This is no longer your true home, it's not the place for you anymore.'

But before they left the garden, God made clothes for his children, to cover them. He gently clothed them and then he sent them away on a long, long journey - out of the garden, out of their home. 

Well, in another story, it would all be over and that would have been...THE END.

But not in this story.

God loved his children too much to let the story end there.  Even though he knew they would suffer, God had a plan - a magnificent dream. One day, he would get his children back. One day, he would make the world their perfect home again. And one day, he would wipe away every tear from their eyes.

You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children - with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

And though they would forget him, and run from him, deep in their hearts, God's children would miss him always, and long for him - lost children yearning for their home.

Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: 'It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I'm going to battle against the snake.  I'll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here.  I'm coming back for you!'

And he would. One day, God himself would come."  (pgs. 34-36)

Hallelujah, praise the Lord, thank you for your grace and love that never ends! 

I think it was the visualization of the dove becoming afraid of Adam and the deer running away from Adam & Eve that brought that clarity to me.  I've always known that sin is devastating for the sinner, and for the sinner's relationships, but I don't think I've acknowledged the devastation of sin in a long time.  I think I forgot how truly horrible it is! 

I sin on a daily basis - and I'd like to say that sometimes it's a "big" sin and sometimes it's just a "little" sin, but the truth is - IT'S ALL SIN!  The consequences for one type of sin may carry heavier penalties for the consequences of another type of sin, but there are always consequences - even if we can't see them in the current moment. 

The JOY found in this experience, however, is that God didn't just give up on us. He loves us so much that he allowed his Son (Jesus) to live as a man, die as a criminal (in our place), rise from the grave (defeated death) and ascend to Heaven where He sits at the right hand of his Father.  This knowledge was poured out on me this morning during our time with the Lord - I knew this already, but it awakened a fire in me that I haven't felt in a long time! 

I pray for you as you go throughout this day, that you will experience a rekindling in your walk with the Lord.  I cannot express the happiness that I felt after my brokenness this morning.  And if you don't know the Lord, I pray that you will allow Him to come into your life. 

How does He do that?

My daughter, Peyton, is a soccer player.  And she's good at it!  Brittany, my youngest daughter, is a cheerleader in the making.  And she's good at that!  Peyton is down-to-earth and very smart - almost no studying required (she just remembers stuff).  Brittany is high-strung, dependent and always moving - LOTS of studying required. 

I'm comparing my children - but not because I favor one more than the other, or because I want one to be more like the other.  I'm comparing them to say that God is amazing!!!  Jeff and I (with God's blessing, apparently) made two beautiful girls together; my twin and his.  They are completely different, and yet carry the same DNA.  I couldn't imagine either of them being any different than they are at this very moment! 

That picture explains everything perfectly!  It was taken two years ago, but it is still so true.  Peyton is smart, athletic, beautiful, and everyone loves her.  Brittany is also smart, beautiful, loving and talented!  But Brittany looks up to her sister with awe, jealousy (haha!), desire to be just like her, and the list goes on and on.  When they get along it is WONDERFUL!  When they fight (which is happening more and more as Peyton gets older), it is awful (the most annoying sound in the history of the universe). 

I look at them sometimes and I'm overcome with the feeling that I'm not worthy to be called "mom."  But then I immediately thank God for appointing me as their caregiver!  HE found me worthy of the title - and I hope that the things we learn from each other will show to be acceptable to Him as the girls continue to grow. 

Father God, thank you for my girls.  Thank you that they are healthy, happy, and strong-willed.  Thank you for the constant reminders that You are in control.  I love you and I'm honored that you chose me as their mom.

Thank you also for Jeff.  Thank you that he is so good to me (even when he acts like my dad instead of my husband - haha), especially when I'm being hardheaded and difficult. 

Amen.

Cha-cha-cha-changes!

It's been a long painful wait for the Fall and college football; good thing we had soccer to keep us interested and on the move throughout the summer (and fall and winter and spring.  rinse repeat.).  I love that today is the first day of the football season - the smell of the air, the sunshine (without the humidity), the SOUNDS of football, the excitement of competition...the list goes on and on!  Tonight, my beloved MSU Bulldogs will be playing.  I cannot wait to see them play!  And my home state LSU Tigers are playing this afternoon too!  Woohoo!

So far today, I have had my coffee outside (finally), watched Jeff burn a wood pile (in the safety of the fire pit), had the one stitch removed from my toe (OUCH!!!) and watched football.  Football is on every channel it seems like.  (It's funny at the beginning of football season - I want to watch every game.  Then, about halfway through, I'm okay whether I see it or not.  Why is that?)

Anyway, this is a very random post...just trying to organize my thoughts!  :)

Happy Football, Happy Fall!  :)