EVE and the creation accounts of Genesis (ch) 1-3:
1b. Reflect on the importance of the distinction made by God between people and the rest of visible creation. How should this distinction help to direct our moral and social priorities?
- I love the answer given in the appendix. It talks first about man being the only part of creation made in the image and likeness of God and that the rest of creation is subject to him. “…we have a responsibility to be good stewards of creation and God’s creatures, the care of human persons must always take pride of place.”
- “good stewardship” has been a resounding theme for me. I think it is easy as a mom to be overwhelmed by the day to day. Every second of every day I am “needed” by some member of our family…for food, play, help, laundry, diapers, love, attention, etc. And by the end of the day all I’m dreaming about is all the things I NEED which slides my thoughts into a more selfish mode and I then start thinking/obsessing over getting certain things done to free up more time so I can do MY THINGS. I understand the need for balance, a time and place for everything. I just haven’t quite found a regular groove. Most days are good days. Most days I can stop myself from sliding deeper into selfishness. Most days I can recognize triggers - those things that trigger a certain attitude or thought process - and try to stop the snowball effect. Most days. But it is on those few days of absolute insanity that I find myself screaming for (internally) and longing for freedom. A freedom that I realize I already have. Silliness, I know. But I am sure many of you can relate in some way or another. Freedom to accept and embrace the Will of God in my life or the freedom to seek my own will. Sometimes it’s hard to identify God’s Will but in those times I’m reminded of a piece of advice my dad gave me a long long time ago: “Theresa, all you have to do is focus on fulfilling your obligations within your state in life (right now)….your vocation right now is to be a student (at the time). So be a student first. Being faithful to the little day to days that are right in front of you will give you the strength and grace to be faithful to the bigger things that may come your way like knowing when and who to date. Study and pray.” My point in this being, I am a wife and mom....my job/vocation is to love and serve with every fiber of my being......first the needs of my children and husband.
10a-d. I’m not going to write it all out, but this was a great point for me as well. It goes back to the recognizing my own vices and what triggers them. And then also putting solid means to overcome them and/or strengthen virtues that counteract them. I can totally relate in particular to Eve’s lack of self discipline and selfishness. Oh the ugliness and shame of sin!!!!
My resolution this week in light of this study: To aid in self discipline, limit my email, Facebook, and blog checks to 3-15 minute sessions....one before the kids wake up in the morning, one during naptime, one after they are in bed. (ouch…gonna be hard) I will be using a timer. ;-) By doing this hopefully it will help me to focus more on the needs of my family instead of seeking time to get away to surf, respond, and write.
*What points stood out for you in this chapter? Feel free to share……
I think that the biggest problem of the fall was not disobedience, I think it was what they did when God asked them what was going on.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe that if Adam and Eve would have run towards God the Father, and asked Him for forgiveness, everything would have been restored because that is the Heart of God but instead of that they hid and did not say the truth.
I was reading a book that a friend let me and in that book written by a budhist nun she said that they don´t exorcise demons...they treat them with compassion. If I treat myself with compassion, which has nothing to do with being soft because true compassion and wisdom walk together, will I grow faster? If I treat my sins with compassion, which means to kneel at the feet of Jesus and be washed by His Love, will I experience freedom sooner? I believe so.
One thing that struck me was how "real" Eve was in this meditation. She struck me as being as weak as the rest of us when it comes to temptation, yet I love that she is mentioned twice after the "Fall" and both times saying that the Lord was responsible for their blessings. She deeply regretted what they had done.
ReplyDeleteI had a longer post but it somehow didn't go through and then got deleted. (??) I do want to say that from this I have come away with a stronger resolve to focus more on my spiritual fasting this Lent.