Should The Bible Become The Forbidden Fruit?

MAN! There have been many occasions in my life where i have been the recipient of some truly extreme judgment with the Bible being used as the justification for it. And you know, as much as i hate to admit it, there have been many times where i've done the same to others. Obviously, i'm NOT proud of that fact.

Taking that knowledge about myself and coupling it with the message Pastor Keith gave this past weekend REALLY set my mind in motion about it. You see, in his message, he reminded us of the cornerstone (my words) of all our sin in the story of Adam and Eve and the ever important Forbidden Fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As we all know, prior to their eating it, they didn't know of an evil. They only knew of good. God's good.

Pastor Keith also reminded us of how we can live either a life based in judgment or one based in love. That we can't do both. When thinking about various events and people i've come across, i can't express just how convicting this message was for me. I was downright blown away by it. That's where i started wondering about whether or not the Bible should have been THE forbidden fruit because of the way so many "good-hearted" Christians have come to use it. But i really think, "No, it shouldn't have." It's not what's IN the Bible that's the problem, it's what we get OUT of it. Think about it. If we just crack it open every once in a while, it seems we're more prone to misuse what we THINK we've read. A closed Bible leads to a closed mind leading to a closed heart.

Now, i would love to say that i've always been a person that acted lovingly to all those i come in contact with but in all honesty, i KNOW i haven't. So obviously, i have a LONG, LONG way to go, but what an amazing God we have that is so patient with me and constantly, and gently, leads me in the direction He knows i need to go to get there. Is that awesome or what?

It looks like i just REALLY need to remember the love that God feels towards me, and the amazing heart He showed for all of us through His Son. And, if i work to return that love to God and to others in that same way, then i should do okay, right? While it's easier said than done, it's NOT impossible. Opening myself to God and what He has done and planned for me, then i'd think it would only lead to an open heart. At least, i'm thinking it can't hurt to try.

Just a thought. (My apologies to Pastor Keith if i misunderstood the context of his message in any way)

laters!

Broken Cup

It wasn't so much the scars on her wrists, arms and legs that worried him, it was the scars on her heart.  Although he hasn't known her for very long, it's feel like they been connected forever.  It was odd how he knew when to be quiet for her.  When she needed him to be there and even when he knew she needed him to stay away.  As he stared at her face, he wondered if she ever knew him that well.

At this moment, he was struck by a particular memory.

It was early in their friendship.  She was feeling particularly low about loves lost, at her own doing, and how she felt like her heart just wasn't capable of holding love for anyone for any appreciable amount of time.  She said she felt like it had a huge crack in it.  That's when he went into the study and got one of his most prized possessions.  The teacup that once belonged to his grandmother.  It wasn't anything fancy.  Not worth hardly even a dime.  But, it was priceless to him.

So, he took it back in the other room and showed her.  As he handed it to her, he tried to repeat the same words his grandmother had told him. "Take this teacup.  Hold it.  Think of it as your heart.  It's so frail yet has held so much in it.  See that crack running down the side next to the handle?  Well, your heart has many cracks it, just like that one.  You see?  God didn't intend for your heart to be completely healed.  He wants the love to seep out so that He can pour more into it. Do you see it now?  It's okay that your heart has that crack in it.  That way God and keep filling it up.  Do you see the crack now?"

She smiled that little half-smile that she always gave when she was touched but didn't really want to show it.  She just sat there, holding it in her hands.  Looking at it.  Admiring the crack.  Comparing it to her heart.  It brought tears to her eyes just knowing she wasn't broken.  That her heart had a crack in it by design.  When one of her tears fell into it, she held it up to give back to him.  He closed her hands around it and said, "I want you to have it. Always.  Whenever your heart is hurting, hold it and remember the love that God, and i, would love to pour into it."  That was a good day.  For both of them.

Suddenly it dawned on him why that particular memory flashed before him.  He saw it.  The teacup.  In her hand.  Just before they closed the casket.

As the tears overcame him, all he could think was "Thank you, God.  I guess she knew me after all."