The apple graces the ornament for today. In Zimmerman’s book, as you might easily guess, the story for today is about Adam and Eve. She offers, “Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin and pain and death entered our world…because Jesus died and rose again, we know that, one day, we will be able to live with him forever.”
We believe that the story of Adam and Eve was written down by our Jewish ancestors in the faith to explain how we came to be sinful people. In our church we often call this act of disobedience original sin. We trust that the stain of this sin is washed away in the waters of baptism.
The Adam and Eve story convinces me that my tendency towards sin is as old as time. God wants me to reflect on this sin and root it out of my life.
I have to confess that I have not been tending my garden very well lately. If I step back and take a look at it, the weeds of sin are everywhere. I am selfish, impatient, short tempered, and willful. Had I been Eve, I totally would have eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, especially if someone had told me not to!
I love that our church sets aside this time for me to do a spot check of my life. If I slow down long enough I can see where I need to get my trowel out and start digging those weeds, those persistent sins, out of the garden of my life.
Today, I thank God for this gift of reflection and the forgiveness I receive when I confess my sins. God is merciful and kind, slow to anger, (thank heaven!) and abounding in kindness.
This Advent take some time with me and tend your garden!
The Last Lap (and what comes next) 