Sin is a loaded word. For those outside the faith, it’s a funny and dated religious term. For Christians, we repeat it so often that it loses its bite. Scripture reveals that sin is worse than we know. Jesus is so serious about it that he says, “If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out.” What is it about sin that’s so fatal it would require Jesus to go to the cross?
This Lent we do a soul examination, studying all the ways God describes the complex of sin. Lawlessness, adultery, rebellion . . . The cancerous nature of sin means that we need to go deeper than surface confession. The problem is worse than we know, which makes our Savior greater than we can imagine.
Invocation
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, who delivers us from all evil.
Invitation Prayer
Lord, you know the evil that comes when we are alone. You prayed in the Garden while your friends were asleep. You faced the agony of death and evil alone. Do not leave or forsake us in our isolation. Draw near in the dark of night when no one else is around. Have mercy, O Lord, Amen.
Word
Genesis 3:8
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
Meditation: To Be Seen by Susan Becher Schultz
Being married to a pastor is weird. I could state that much more eloquently, but I won’t. A pastor is such an important part of a congregational member’s life. They walk alongside you, become a part of your family, sit with you during your darkest moments. I’ve had pastors of my own who have been integral mentors in my life. It’s a beautiful relationship, and most of the time, I’m happy to support my husband in this role.
However, there are times throughout our marriage that I’ve fully resented my role as a pastor’s wife. I didn’t set out with any intention, in my early twenties, of becoming one. It wasn’t even on my radar. I’m still figuring out, seven years in, what this role means to me. But there have been times where my patience wore thin, and while my rebellion may have been quiet, it was there nonetheless.
My biggest way of rebelling has been to stay hidden. I have physically, at times, refused to go to church. But in a deeper sense, I have refused to let others know me. I have shut out connection in every sense, afraid that if others don’t see the perfect pastor’s wife they had in mind, they’d develop their own opinions of me. I’ve found as time goes on that no matter what you do or who you are, people are going to have opinions. But in staying hidden, I shut out healthy connections with people who see me and are glad I am who I am.
“And they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
I picture Adam and Eve here huddling amidst the foliage, in this picturesque garden, listening as God walks their way. I can hear their hearts beating rapidly in their chests. They know it is impossible to hide from the creator, yet they try anyway. What started as a rebellion leads to a childish game of hide and seek.
I used to think it was brave to rebel. I had an obsession with James Dean in middle school, in love with the live fast, die young mentality. However, a rebellion has to end, and often doesn’t end pretty. On the other hand, showing up allows you to integrate into the community and contribute your ideas for the betterment of it. It’s a process, learning to be seen after staying hidden. It’s vulnerable and scary, and doesn’t look cool at all. It’s braver, deciding not to rebel. It’s braver to show up, and let God and his community see you, imperfections and all.
Dear Lord, guide me as I transition from rebellion into connection with others. Thank you for forgiving my sins, even when I can’t see the ways I am hurting myself and others. Amen.
Sending
In the face of evil, may God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with every spiritual blessing. Go in his name, Amen.