The Fall: Part 1

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“God creates the world and called it ‘Good’. Humanity lives in the world and calls it ‘Mine’. The mystery of the world’s brokenness arises in the space between these claims.” -adapted quote from St. Augustine of Hippo

Every life is littered with moments of separation, struggle, and sin. We all give in to our selfish desires and find ourselves living in ways that do not fit with God’s hope for us. This phenomenon is often referred to as “The Fall” and has been blamed on the actions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God had forbidden the humans to eat from one tree and yet despite these instructions, both Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from that one tree.

This is still the story for humans today. Most of the time, we know what God desires for us, and yet we still choose to do the opposite. God warned Adam and Eve of the consequences ahead of time, and yet they still gave in to the serpent’s temptations and ate the fruit. And we too often know that our selfish actions will not lead us towards a more abundant life, and yet we still proceed with our sinful behavior. This is the ongoing, human predicament that God continually forgives and continually seeks to guide us out of.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 22, 2023