[ Today's Readings ]
Adam and Eve close their ears to something they know God tells them.
"You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
They're already off to a bad start, remembering more than God actually commanded. This prepares them to accept the words of the serpent instead of the words of God.
"You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil."
Their ears are closed to the truth that comes from God and open to the lies of the devil. After all, it is one or the other. The only thing that can take the place of the truth is falsehood.
We do this too. God is constantly calling us to come up higher, to draw nearer to himself. Sometimes we answer the invitation. But often we shut our ears and even run away.
When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden
at the breezy time of the day,
the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God
among the trees of the garden.
We expect judgment and doom, but he is really chasing us down with his mercy. Let's stop running. He has the power to open our ears, to soften our hearts, and to make our spirits live again.
"Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")
God opens the ears of people we think will never listen to him. He even opens our own ears to hear where we ourselves ignore his call. When we see his ability to transform even sin hardened hearts we can't help but rejoice and praise him.
"He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Let's stop running! May his mercy come quickly to find us, naked and afraid, and to heal us.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
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