To Adam [the Lord] said, “Because you... ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you [against], cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Genesis 3:17-19

If you have children, you know that children are born very needy and self-focused. They don’t have the ability to see limits placed upon them, and when the hunger pains begin, they cry. But as children mature, they realize that it’s not healthy to be strictly autonomous, responsible to no one but themselves. God shows us that to live in this world as his people we must be cognizant of boundaries. And that’s hard. It’s in our very nature since birth to be self-serving, struggling to find our own voice and make our own choices.

When Eve made the choice to disobey God’s command, there were consequences. God cursed the ground under Adam and Eve’s very feet, showing that sin releases turmoil and unrest into the world. It’s interesting to think of our sin as not being strictly personal, but causing disarray in the world and affecting those we love the most.

Although God did forgive Adam and Eve, the Lord’s forgiveness did not alleviate the natural consequences of their sin and disobedience. Being self-focused and ignoring God’s boundaries caused Adam and Eve’s relationship to be affected and had long-lasting effects for their lives. He alone is the creator, ruler, and Lord of our hearts, and such boundaries are placed for our own benefit.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you been selfish in some aspect of your life, not appreciating the boundaries placed on your life? Can you really trust in God’s compassion and mercy that he will allow you to live fully in a forgiven state?

PRAYER: Faithful God, please forgive our selfishness. We were born into this world very self-focused without recognizing that you have placed boundaries and limits in our lives. Please help us to respect those limits you’ve placed on our hearts and in our world. Allow us to live freely within the permissible space without always trying to eat the forbidden fruit. And allow us to get on our knees and ask for true redemption as we groan out in pain at the consequences of sin so many years ago. We are like Eve and Adam who could not resist the fruit, and we seek your face. Please allow us new life, even in this dusty, broken world, to try and please you in all things. We thank you for your abundant love and forgiveness. Amen.