Those Hated Thorns and Thistles

I Agree With Grandma

             As a small child, when my maternal grandma, Gladys Rainey Smith, first heard the story of Adam and Eve explained by her mother, her response was, "I hate Adam." Her mother, Rosa Jarrell Rainey, promptly spanked her, appalled that her middle daughter would defame the first man created on the earth, in the very image of God. Let me go on record that I agree with my grandma to a point. I won't use the word "hate" but obviously, Adam didn't believe his willful disobedience in following Eve would lead to back-breaking work, destruction in his perfect environment, and most importantly, an inner change in the depth of his soul.

           Adam had to be one of the most miserable men that ever walked the earth. I made a similar comment to Mother after coming in from the pasture recently. I went on to explain that he experienced the earth without thistles or thorns. What a reality check he faced when he spotted the first prickly thistle in his lush, green pastures and even worse what a horror when he found the first one from his flock or herd sickened or dead from eating a noxious plant. The consequences for his choice had materialized.

           His life worsened as he realized that year after year those destructive plants returned. He was never able to eradicate them, no matter what methods he employed. For his entire life, following the soul-altering choice to disobey God's sole command to Eve and him, he fought the adverse elements in his pasture.

           Living in the Garden of Eden was literally a paradise for one who enjoyed seeing botanical wonders. What a sinking feeling he must have experienced when he encountered the first weeds amidst his lush vegetation!

On more than one occasion, I told Ron Badley, our 

botany teacher, that he prepared me superbly for 

all the life science courses I took at OSU. (He 

taught us to identify so many prairie flora. This is
 buffalo bur which became history soon after I photo-
graphed it!) I hate these signs of Adam's detrimental 

choice. I must admit that I know based on the Bible, I
 would have made the same irrevocable choice as Adam. 

          As he tended his herds and flocks, I know he had time to contemplate the decision he had made with Eve to violate God's only "do not" instruction to not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thousands of times, he probably recalled the days before their choice to disobey and what indescribable difficulty they ushered into their lives.

          We are akin to our first ancestors. We make choices overriding God's word, our consciences, and sometimes the warnings of those around us. Then we sorrow when forced to live with the consequences. 

         Thankfully, God's plan didn't end there. He Himself came onto our planet, subjecting Himself to a human body with all of its limitations to show us who He was. Ultimately, Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves. Willingly, He became sin for us that we might be made right in His eyes. Paul beautifully wrote of this unfathomable action in II Corinthians 5:21. How could we not accept the forgiveness of the God who became the sacrifice for us?

         I contemplate how Adam and Eve daily walked in the evenings with God. Their disobedience interrupted that pleasant end-to-the-day ritual. Thanks be to God who has restored to us close communication with us through His Word and prayer. May we always take advantage of His communication with us through the Bible. After all, the whole plan of God is centered on forming relationships with those humans willing to reciprocate His love. Through purposeful meditation on His word, reading and obeying His word, and encouraging worship with others who love Him, we can experience that daily walk with our Creator and Savior. What a reassuring thought that we can still have an end-to-the-day ritual as we talk through prayer with Him about our day, read from His Word of the certainty of His presence through our nighttime rest, and the promise of Him being beside us as we open our eyes to welcome the new day!