Friday, March 7, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Genesis 3:22–24

Then the Lord God said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” — therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life. (NRSV)

Reflection

What an outcome from eating the forbidden fruit, which the apple has come to symbolize not only in the Bible but throughout literature. Just as it’s engraved in our minds that Satan gave Eve an apple, that illicit fruit represents temptation and giving into desire.

Think Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (the evil queen is the serpent and Prince Charming is God); John Milton’s Paradise Lost (the apple triggers humankind’s downfall) and even Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (where Hester Prynne’s lover tempts her with an apple).

It’s hard to fathom that an apple, which proverbially promises to keep the doctor away, brought sin to us. Like Adam, each of us has thought we’ve gotten away with something that doesn’t seem too bad. But, for Adam and Eve, the punishment of this original sin was banishment from a true paradise and the Tree of Life. Even worse for Adam, he was driven from his Maker’s presence where once they walked together.

This passage is an emotional reminder of the impact of our choices and that consequences exist. Let us remember Adam and Eve’s expulsion as we navigate our own lives. Let us recognize that in our daily lives our actions spark repercussions and that learning from our mistakes enable us to grow and mature.

Let us also grasp that Adam’s exile destroyed his way to life eternal. And that, for us, we must look elsewhere to reconcile to God through our faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior. This anthem illuminates the cost of Adam’s disobedience. Click here.

Prayer
God, help us apply the wisdom of these verses as we navigate life’s complexities and make decisions that reflect both God’s justice and mercy. Through faith in Christ and his sacrifice for our sins. Amen.

Written by Tim Schellhardt, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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