Genesis 3 includes so much: a tricky snake who lies about God; Eve who adds extra words to what God has said; Adam who stands there saying and doing nothing. Then, when it has gone wrong, there is hiding, blaming, avoiding, covering up. Life-giving connections are broken between humans and God, and between man and woman. Sin enters, Earth carries the cost, and so does God, looking way ahead to Jesus.
Adam and Eve can’t return to the garden because of the angel with the flaming sword. That is not God being mean. We can never go back to naïve innocence. But we can, with the gift of forgiveness and trust, move forward in our lives and even regain a sense of lightness and innocence. Yes, there is pain and hurt. But God’s love is still there for us. There is the promise that God wastes nothing, and even turns bad around to make good. We can’t go back to the garden, but we do go forward knowing that God is with us, and we are heading to a new heaven and a new earth. Each time you are tempted to give up, because it is all too hard, or there seems no way forward, take one brave step forward or do one brave little thing. The brave thing might be just getting out of bed, and praying a little prayer and then going where you have to go. The next time you feel shame dragging you down, accept that, but don’t write yourself off. Take one action that says you are more than your shame.
