Daily Worship

Being Content

Peter Neilson February 27, 2017 0 1

Genesis 3:1-19

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

Extravagant God, You set before us 

a garden of abundance;

so many good people, 

so many good things

to enjoy and celebrate

with every sense

to take pleasure in You 

as You take pleasure in us.

 

Open our eyes to your lavish generosity,

and endless opportunities 

to live life to the full,

and give us the precious gift of contentment.

 

Lord God,

why are we so obsessed 

with the one thing we cannot have?

One attractive bush in a forest of trees.

One forbidden fruit in a beautiful orchard.

Why that driving desire?

Why that needling need?

 

Lord, we dare to name 

our recurring sin before You,

for you do not deal in shaming

only healing.

 

Lord, as the Garden story unravels

We hear the warnings:

Of broken relationships

Of creation unhinged

Of life made harder

Of self-deception

Of God-alienation.

 

Lord, as the amber light flashes

Switch it to red

And bring us to a full stop

Before we fall into the abyss.

 

May we stop long enough to hear

Your voice through the undergrowth:

“Where are you?”

“Where are you?”

AMEN