Reflection: The disruption of peace
What happened? This is the question asked after every catastrophe. We want to know what caused the problem.
The same question is also asked at the cosmic level and the Bible’s answer is the Genesis story. A good God creates a beautiful world where peace reigns. Satan enters into the drama of this cosmic story in the form of a talking snake, deception and rebellion take root. Eve is deceived and Adam rebels. They align themselves with Satan’s offer of being “gods” in their own right with the capacity to choose right and wrong for themselves. The rest, as they say, is history. Our first parents’ leap at autonomy, at God’s throne, lands them in deep trouble. Peace is disrupted at every level, our relationship with God with each other and with Creation, all ruined – but not irreparably. In our passage is a glimmer of hope in the midst of the darkness. An offspring of the woman will one day deal with the snake, once and for all. “Watch this space”. This is the message of the rest of the Old Testament and this is the space that is finally filled by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the serpent slayer.
How does knowing Jesus has won the war against sin and Satan help us to press on in our daily battles?
Prayer:
Father, help us to continue to trust in your Son, the one born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons of you the living God. Thank you for Jesus’ victory over sin and Satan and death and for the hope of life and peace we now have in him. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.