Where the trouble started (and continues)
Our next series will take us to Easter. In the congregation we have a Bible reading challenge going. We are reading a chapter a day leading up to Easter. The list of chapters is below... For our EmmDevs on Tuesdays to Fridays, I'll be taking a reading from the day's chapter and reflecting on that. I do hope you'll enjoy it.Unfortunately, due to the invasion of the dreaded chaos monster, I did not manage to write devs for Ash Wednesday and yesterday... So I'm going to do yesterday's reading today and then revert to the reading for the day.
| When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis3:6-7) |
Yesterday's reading was from Gen 3. Please read the whole chapter if you can...
Many Christians observed Ash Wednesday this week. Genesis 3 helps us understand this tradition a bit better...
Adam and Eve were naked (unclothed) before they sinned and they were completely unashamed. Their sin was to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and, in the serpent's words, "to be like God". After they sinned, their souls were tainted by their rebellion and attempt to subvert God. This meant a new kind of nakedness - a nakedness that was shameful - they were covering their bodies in an attempt to hide their naked/broken souls.
This is what lies at the heart of Ash Wednesday: We are only too aware that we are broken. We sew all sorts of fig-leaves together: "I'm better than an axe-murderer...", "Everyone does it...", "I'm just so messed up by the past" or "The Devil made me do it..." But the bottom line is that we know we are naked in our souls. We know that we are incomplete because our attempts to be our own god have failed.
Throughout Scripture, rites of contrition and repentance are recommended: Sackcloth, ashes, prayer, fasting, and gathering in repentant community to mention some. On Ash Wednesday we recognise our nakedness. We come forward to be anointed with oil and ash. Oil because God chooses us and ash because we are contrite and repentant. The symbol of the cross is made on our forehead symbolising that we are naked no more. We are clothed in Christ who died for us.
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The readings for Sat, Sun and Mon are:
Sat 25 Feb 23 4. God the Liberator: Exodus 3
Sun 26 Feb 23 5. God is Holy -- Blueprint for Society: Deuteronomy 5
Mon 27 Feb 23 6. God uses "little" people: Judges 6
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Lent Readings
Wed 22 Feb 23
1. God Creates: Genesis 1
Thu 23 Feb 23
2. We Rebel: Genesis 3
Fri 24 Feb 23
3. God's promise and protection even when we act fearfully: Genesis 12
Sat 25 Feb 23
4. God the Liberator: Exodus 3
Sun 26 Feb 23
5. God is Holy -- Blueprint for Society: Deuteronomy 5
Mon 27 Feb 23
6. God uses "little" people: Judges 6
Tue 28 Feb 23
7. Be Strong and Courageous and Follow God's Word: Joshua 1
Wed 1 Mar 23
8. God speaks we must learn to listen: 1Samuel 3
Thu 2 Mar 23
9. Facing Giants: 1 Samuel 17
Fri 3 Mar 23
10. When you're exhausted and discouraged: 1 Kings 19
Sat 4 Mar 23
11. God our Shepherd: Psalm 23
Sun 5 Mar 23
12. God is our refuge and strength: Psalm 46
Mon 6 Mar 23
13. Big God -- Tired People: Isaiah 40
Tue 7 Mar 23
14. When we feel hopeless and exiled: Jeremiah 29
Wed 8 Mar 23
15. You're known by God: Psalm 139
Thu 9 Mar 23
16. God brings life to the dead: Ezekiel 37
Fri 10 Mar 23
17. Priorities: Haggai 1
Sat 11 Mar 23
18. A God who brings Good News: Isaiah 55
Sun 12 Mar 23
19. Selfish Prophet, Gracious God: Jonah 4
Mon 13 Mar 23
20. God brings restoration and Renewal: Ezekiel 47
Tue 14 Mar 23
21. Epic Promise of a New Covenant: Jeremiah 31
Wed 15 Mar 23
22. Walking through fire with God: Daniel 3
Thu 16 Mar 23
23. God keeps loving broken Israel: Hosea 11
Fri 17 Mar 23
24. The Saviour is Coming: Luke 1
Sat 18 Mar 23
25. The Saviour is Here! Luke 2
Sun 19 Mar 23
26. God Enters our World: John 1
Mon 20 Mar 23
27. Jesus reveals God's Ways Part 1: Matthew 5
Tue 21 Mar 23
28. Jesus reveals God's Ways Part 2: Matthew 6
Wed 22 Mar 23
29. Jesus reveals God's Ways Part 3: Matthew 7
Thu 23 Mar 23
30. God's Invitation: John 3
Fri 24 Mar 23
31. Reaching People: John 4
Sat 25 Mar 23
32. How to live the Christian Life: John 15
Sun 26 Mar 23
33. The Nature of the Holy Spirit: John 14
Mon 27 Mar 23
34. Living by the Spirit: Romans 8
Tue 28 Mar 23
35. Living by Faith: Hebrews 11
Wed 29 Mar 23
36. What really matters: Philippians 3
Thu 30 Mar 23
37. Living in tough times: 1Peter 4
Fri 31 Mar 23
38. Authentic Christianity: James 2
Sat 1 Apr 23
39. We have Work to do Part 1: Acts 1
Sun 2 Apr 23
40. We have Work to do Part 2: 2Cor.5
Mon 3 Apr 23
41. The Church: Ephesians 4
Tue 4 Apr 23
42. The Nature of Love: 1John 4
Wed 5 Apr 23
43. Jesus Dies: Luke 23
Thu 6 Apr 23
44. Jesus dies -- Why? Romans 5
Fri 7 Apr 23
45. Jesus Rises: Luke 24
Sat 8 Apr 23
46. Jesus rises -- death dies! 1 Cor.15
Sun 9 Apr 23
47. How it all Ends: Revelation 21
