The Eden love story culminates at Easter - The Presbyterian Outlook

Guest commentary by Dave Coles 

Fairy tales often begin with, “Once upon a time, in a land far, far away …” The creation story in Genesis could easily begin with that same phrase. But the creation story is no fairy tale. Rather, it is just the opening chapter of a love story that arcs across millennia from Eden to Calvary Hill — and it is a story that continues today.

But this love story was often one-sided. Throughout history, it seems that God has been the hopeful suitor of a fickle-minded bride. Certainly, humans could have been created to be automatons. We could have been programmed to extend our arms in loving supplication to our Creator. We could have been programmed to say things that sound like us returning God’s love (cue a monotone voice reciting the famous line from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43, “How-do-I-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways”). But God did not want a programmed robotic love response. God wanted returned love that was authentic and heartfelt. So, God took a huge risk and gave us the choice to love God back… or not.

Unfortunately, down through the millennia we did not always choose wisely. Right off the bat in the Garden of Eden – the center of all God’s perfect creation – Adam and Eve turned away from God. They were seduced by serpentine charm and opted to have their eyes opened to the knowledge of good and evil (“Thanks, God, we got this, so you can toddle along now”). If I had been God, I think I would have been tempted to smite them right then and there. But God did no smiting because that is not what you do to those you love. Instead, God chose patient wooing.

God tried letting Adam and Eve live for a while with the consequences of having spurned divine love. I suspect God hoped the consequences would lead them back into the divine loving arms. But, instead, the estrangement grew. Murder ensued and then obfuscation (“How should I know; do I look like my brother’s keeper?”).

God tried more wooing. Abraham was selected to be the person through whom all peoples would be blessed. Then God asked Moses to lead people back to their groom-in-waiting. That did not work because, as soon as Moses had his back turned, God’s intended stepped out with a golden calf and flirted with pagan gods. So, God sent prophets to warn what would happen if infidelity continued. In short, God’s courtship attempts spanned millennia (talk about a patient groom). The bridal pursuit that began in the Garden of Eden continued to Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Lent. God’s final loving act culminated Easter morning.

With all that history to look back on, you would think it would be easy for us today to see God’s ceaseless bride-pursuit. But missing the big picture is easy when we are deep in the weeds staging annual liturgical events. It is easy to get so involved with planning for and executing Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost that we overlook the why and connectedness of these seasons. And the why and connectedness remain hard to focus on even after Easter. We are immediately into Ordinary Time and find ourselves still deep in the weeds planning and executing things such as vacation Bible school, summer mission trips, rally day, the stewardship season and new officer installation. The list of things to plan and execute goes on and on. It seems we never really have quiet time to reflect on the big picture of bride-pursuit. And, before we know it, another church year has gone by and we are back at Advent, still deep in the weeds cycling through another year of lather-rinse-repeat events.

This year’s Lenten observance is the perfect opportunity to (as we say in Texas) “think on it a bit” — to reflect on how Christmas and Easter are God’s final sacrificial love offerings to the bride-to-be, giving God’s all and everything to us. And let us remember they are the fulfillment of God’s millennia-long quest to romance us until we joyfully extend our arms in supplication and say, “I do.”

Yes, the opening chapter of this love story did begin once upon a time, in faraway Eden. And millennia later, the supreme act of courtship took place on a hill probably 750 miles from Eden. But the love story is still being written today. The question for each of us this Lenten season is: Are we ready to say, “I do?” 

DAVE COLES is a ruling elder, worships at Pines Presbyterian Church in Houston, and works part time as the coordinator of family faith formation at First Presbyterian Church of Sugar Land, Texas. He is active in the Presbytery of New Covenant and currently serves on the examinations committee. He can be reached at [email protected].

 

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The Eden love story culminates at Easter - The Presbyterian Outlook
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