May 13, 2026:

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“To Adam He said, ‘Because you listened to the woman and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you must not eat, I tell you- cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.’”

(Genesis 3.17)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

It is not that living in the Garden of Eden was easy that made it so appealing; because it wasn’t easy. If it was easy, then everyone would have done it. The fact is that there were only two people living in the Garden at the time: Adam and Eve. The fact is that it wasn’t easy because decisions could not be made for them, but opportunities were given for them to make good decisions and learn from bad ones. The earth and all its blessings were set in place, in order and in motion to fulfill their created and intended purposes to be fruitful and multiply. They were to spread out across the face of the earth spilling out of Eden like water and wine from a never-ending overflowing cup of blessing. The ground was ready to receive it in both “water and the word.” Looking back at what happened after Adam and Eve were sent from the Garden, we can see the poignancy of these images for the sake of demonstrating and declaring “mercy, grace, forgiveness and reconciliation as well as fatal judgment.” Paul captured this essence of abundant life in the expression of the gospel, saying to the Corinthian Christ followers, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it and God makes it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3.6) The story of Eden is the compelling argument of God redeeming the world from the damage and injury Satan would bring upon it. It may be difficult for us to see, even more to justify from a human perspective, how all of that which happened in Eden and beyond was purposeful and reconciled by the end of Revelation [the one given to John of Ephesus and Patmos by the Triumphant Resurrected Christ.] However, as we watch the spread of the “people of God” into all the earth to bring about a call for returning back to God what was God’s [meaning God’s people who on earth were dwelling], the message of “our” purpose is unquestionable. What is that purpose? It is to put our trust in God alone unquestionably and follow His plan with all our heart, mind, body and soul. It is a message that stands in conflict with the one that is also sown into the earth by the Deceiver, the Father of Lies, Satan, the Grand Insurrectionist who was Lucifer cast down to earth out of Heaven.

And we all know, none of that is easy. The word of God says, “With human beings all this is impossible but with God- it is not. With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.26) It is not a declaration that anything we want and want to do becomes possible just because we tag God’s name or “in Jesus’ name” to it. Jesus was not speaking of worldly things. He was speaking of the means of being saved and living into that salvation. With us, it is impossible. With God, nothing can separate us from the love of God. That does not mean we are all going to Heaven. Love means discerning between right and wrong, good and evil. It means having to make a judgment leading to a right or wrong action, a good or bad decision. That would mean that love is wisdom and she is, as Luke wrote were the words of Jesus to the Pharisees, “justified by all her children.” Who are her children? Those who choose to trust in God alone and put their faith in His word even when they don’t understand it. They walk by faith and not by sight hearing that His promises are fulfilled in His perfect timing. Adam and Eve did not do that. They did not fully know what love was until love was not. When love ceased to be the only thing they knew, then blame and doubt came into being. It was always there but they didn’t know it and didn’t know to refuse it. They had to learn so that love would make a way for them to choose what was best and not simply be told what to do. It isn’t easy but it isn’t impossible.

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.