April 14, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Find out what pleases the Lord. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the Church; His body of which He is the Savior. Now as the Church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5.10; 22-24)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

As often as I may reflect on the Creation Story, it becomes ever more important that we have a clear understanding of the events which transpired there. In a sermon I heard today, it was reaffirmed that we certainly grasp the actions of God in relation to the works which Adam and Eve did in rebellion. It is without question that the first glimpse of the need for a Savior is revealed in the Garden. I do not know if Satan simply doubted the Messianic Promise before it was even spoken or he simply ignored it. Regardless, we know how God proved His desire to reconcile His people back to His favor with the sacrifice of a lamb(s) so that they “shame” of Adam and Eve was covered. While the external is important, and they were clothed with the fleeces of the lambs, it is the internalization of God’s love and want to redeem His people with the spilt blood. And that is where the first prophetic revelation of the Messiah is brought to life. What it proves is that humanity cannot save itself from itself. The inevitability of falling into sin may have always been the reality of the Garden and the relationship between humanity and God and the Enemy of both humanity and God. What we do know is that there is little doubt that God had a plan in mind to provide the needed course correction which “falling into sin” invoked. To this, I would quote both Matthew 5.37 “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” and James 5.12 “Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.” Why would I offer those two passages of scripture? Because the important “if only” had transpired in the Garden, we would have a different slant on the story and the history of humankind. “If only” Eve had answered “Yes, God certainly did mean that we would die if we ate of the forbidden fruit” when Satan moved tauntingly against both humanity and God. And if only Adam had responded “No, I will not eat of the fruit” when Eve offered it or more importantly if only Adam had intervened between Eve and Satan when the desire for the fruit was brought to the fore “No, God said we were not to do it so we won’t. I rebuke you, Serpent.” How often are we confronted in our relationships with the same “if only”: let the YES be yes and the NO be no?

And it comes to bear here in Paul’s words to the Ephesians concerning the concept of “submission.” The baseline for making the right choice to be in submission to one another and to God is knowing what God says is what God said. In some fashion, I like to read the Creation Story of Genesis, Chapter 2, when it comes to wrapping my mind around what God has done and continues to do with and for His people. The difference that can be read between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 is the foreknowledge which Adam possessed as God created the Heavens and the Earth. In Genesis 2, Adam has a front row seat in the cinema of creation. He was able to watch all that God did and watch as the intention of both creation and the purpose of Adam within creation was made known by God. He was joined together in the exposition of God’s Word and knew firsthand the command of God in the scope of all creation as it was by God’s command that all that was created was made. Equally so, in whose image it was made as well. That image is, of course, the Christ of God who is the Messiah of God’s people. We are that reflection. Even in the brokenness which sin has wrought in the continuing evolution of creation, the image of Christ remains consistent and unchangeable. It is the light which the darkness cannot overwhelm, overcome, consume and defeat. So, in the grand design of the creation of humankind and placing on them the call to represent the image of their Creator in the midst of all created things, we know God’s word is irrefutable.

Of course, the world of today begs to differ. But, holding fast to the plan by which God has created all things we find great hope in life and love which exposes the fullness of faith which makes all things of good possible. More about that in this coming week as we reflect upon the role of men and women, husbands and wives and then in the generation to follow which is their children.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.