Knowledge of Good and Evil

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Going to Las Vegas is always an interesting experience for me. I go primarily to enjoy a NASCAR race. It is a great time to get away for a few days and have fun with friends who share a common interest. The excitement of the race, the people watching, and the food in Las Vegas all make for a great time. This is all starkly contrasted against the other side of Las Vegas, the ever present evil side of Las Vegas.

There is a balance in our world between good and evil. Frequently we hear when evil is out of balance. Usually it comes in the form of news of a sensational crime splashed across the headlines, or blasting out on Twitter & Facebook. News travels fast regardless of the media or method.  Evil has two purposes.  It hurts immediately those who are directly involved, and it reaches out and tries to hurt those on the periphery. While you and I may not live in the immediate zone of influence of evil when an event occurs, we are nonetheless impacted by it.  Our lives are forever changed in some instances. A good example of this is the tragedy of 9/11.  The lives of thousands at Ground Zero and their families were immediately impacted.  And the lives of almost everyone on the planet Earth were impacted as a result of the actions taken on the part of a few who chose evil over good.  Evil held the day and continues to try to hold the day in the form of despair and fear.  Evil will continue to try to win out if we do not step back and take a fresh look at who is really in control. The knowledge of good and evil is one of if not the most important aspects of our lives. God has imprinted his laws on our heart (See Hebrews 8:10-11). We all know good from evil, and we all know how to escape temptation through prayer and study of the Word. But not everyone is willing to escape evil. There is a conscious decision made to embark on a path that takes a person away from the light of Christ. The action to commit a sin impacts not only those who initiate the action, but many innocent victims. The victims can be family, friends, coworkers, and many who are not even known to those who started down the path away from the light of Christ. Lives can be forever changed for those who sin, and those impacted by that sin.  The thought to sin is planted, the risk is minimized, and then it happens. That is why we learn that sin begins even before the thought occurs. We are sinful by nature. We sin against the Lord in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds by what we have done and by what we have left undone. That might sound familiar to a few of us Lutherans.  And that is why we need a Savior. We are error prone, likely to fail, and rely on the grace of God to bring us back to a right relationship with Him. It is a constant battle, the war between good and evil. There are millions of casualties on the field of battle. We all must stay close to God in prayer and study of His word. We must not let evil rule our day lest we too become casualties.

PRAYER: Father, Abba, we are sorely tempted every second of every minute of every day by sin. We are constantly being sought out by the evil one. By ourselves we are hopeless. Save us Father!  We cannot resist the efforts of Satan without You in our lives. Give us the knowledge, the strength, and the courage to resist the call of Satan to join his legions. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ who was tempted by the devil and resisted, just as we too need to resist. Amen.  

And Out Of The Ground The Lord God Made To Spring Up…

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

                This first week of Lenten devotionals is the result of my having way too much time on my hands while driving to Las Vegas for a NASCAR race.  There was plenty of time to think and observe while on this journey. And it set me to thinking about how it all began.

                For every journey there is a first step, and for every story there is a beginning. If you wish to succeed, you must first plan. There are some folks in our world that would have you believe that the world we live in, that which we call the marvel of creation, was all because something happened accidentally. The earth, sky, universe, plants and animals were all some glorious accident. I gave this principle some deep thought.  It took place somewhere in southwestern Nevada where there is not much to see.  I think the phrase for that locale is “unremarkable terrain”.  And it was an interesting time of prayer and contemplation.  Christians believe that God created the universe and everything in it. We accept that as a keystone in our belief. And based on that principle, we know that the “everything in it” is all inclusive. There was a plan. I would guess if it were put to paper, it would be huge. A size beyond comprehension is my best guess. There had to be a plan.  How else could you explain the wonderful diversity? Diversity that ranges from microbes all the way to whales. Diversity that is graphically displayed in the size, shapes, colors, and features of humans.  There is no reasonable way to explain it beyond, God had a plan. He decided and spoke creation into being. I just do not buy the “it just happened” argument.  Can you imagine life without diversity?  Things that are the same everywhere you go. That would pretty much eliminate the need to go anywhere wouldn’t it? People would be the same no matter where you go. And that would be a bland existence.  And there is one very big difference in our existence. We would exist without hope. Yes, that is right, there would be no hope. As Christians we live everyday of our lives with the comfort of having hope because we have God.  No God, no hope is a pretty simple way to look at it.  And we have peace that surpasses all understanding because we have a loving God the Father, a risen Savior in Jesus Christ, and a comforting Holy Spirit. We have the hope of life everlasting that extends beyond our lives here on this planet. And that is why we Christians should have a much happier outlook on life than non-believers. We have God so we have hope.  I know that there is a God and He is the creator. I know that I am saved. I know that my Creator has a plan for my life. That is news worth sharing! That is the Gospel, and that is the truth.  And finally, that is why it is important for us to share that good news with others that harbor the misguided belief that creation was just an accident.

PRAYER: Lord and Giver of Life, You spoke creation into existence. You willed our lives into being. You guide us, protect us, and sustain us through our times of happiness and turmoil. We are blessed with a Savior who gave his life so that we may live a life eternal. We are humbled by Your love. For this we give thanks to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God now and forever. Amen

Slipping Your Spiritual Anchor 

Romans 8:38-39 "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

There is a philosophy to being a mariner. It is one of prudence, and being conservative in how you approach your sport. That is how you become and old mariner. When you set your anchors for an overnight mooring you set out at least two anchors. Two sturdy anchors, not your good anchor and then a light duty anchor. Two strong anchors. To set just one invites disaster in the form or a slipped anchor and a possible running aground or ashore. That is what prudence is all about. Do your best to to eliminate the possibility of a problem, before it has the opportunity to present itself when you are not a prepared.

 

How a mariner approaches anchoring is a lot like how we should approach or lives in Christ. We have the faith given us by the Holy Spirit to hold us strong. We have the word of God in the Bible to help keep us grounded/anchored in times of strife. But look at what are the influences trying to drag your off your anchors.  Like the tides and waves which will influence a boat or ship to slip it's anchorage, so to will the world seek to drag you away. It can be a sudden and catastrophic event. A series of events or a steady build up of influences will also get the job done. Or maybe, like a slowly rising tide, your diligence slips ever so slowly until one day you notice your are hopelessly adrift. You have slipped your anchor. That my brothers and sisters in the Risen Savior is why it is not just a good idea to stay connected, IT IS AN IMPERATIVE. Stay in the word. Stay connected in worship and fellowship. There are dozens on analogies I can give you helping to illustrate how it is important. But look into your heart and you will see for yourself. It is right there, the Spirit speaking to you letting you know it is a must do on your to-do list. Friends, set your spiritual anchors, and check them regularly.

PRAYER: Lord and Giver of Life, we are tossed about in the seas of life. We have anchors that You have graciously given to us. Help us Dear Lord to firmly set our anchors. Guide is in our efforts to stay hooked to Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with the Father and the Spirit. One God, now and forever. Amen.