Ingratitude

“I believe ingratitude is the original sin. I believe if Adam and Eve had been grateful for the Garden of Eden they had. They would not have been so focused on the one tree they didn't have.” (Max Lucado)

 

Children are naturally curious. Even if parents warn them not to touch a hot surface (of something like an oven or stove), children have to learn the painful lesson of a minor burn (to never touch the hot object again without some kind of protection covering their skin).

 

When events like the above happen, minor burns (not requiring an urgent care visit) can be treated as follows with these four simple steps (in this order):

1.   Immediately put the burned area in cool water (not cold) or under a faucet for at least five to fifteen minutes. Do not use ice.

2.   If the clothing is stuck to the skin, do not peel it away. Leave it in place and cut away the clothing around it.

3.   If the burn is mild, you may put on antibiotic ointment. Cover it with nonstick gauze (or a clean cloth). Don't put butter, grease, or anything else on the burn, and do not pop any blisters.

4.   Use an infant (or child-strength) over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Follow the dosing instructions on the bottle. (Call a pediatrician first if your child has never taken this medication before).[i]

In Genesis 3 (RSVCE), our ancestors (Adam and Eve) got “spiritually burned because they disobeyed their Heavenly Father. The result of their actions was both devastating and long-lasting on their descendants.

Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 

He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals;
upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

 To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”  And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

There are some vitally important lessons we can learn from Adam and Eve’s mistakes (and recovery):

1.   The Heavenly Father created us for His joy and pleasure, and to be in constant relationship with Him. He never intended us to know the difference between good and evil.

“A relationship with God is the most important relationship you can have. Trust Him, and everything will turn out fine.” (Site2Quotes.com)

2.   Our sins can isolate us from a close relationship with the Heavenly Father.

“Make no mistake, sin separates us from God. The sin you're still holding onto may be what's holding you back. Let Go of Sin and hold on to God.” (Dr. Chris)

3.   The Heavenly Father is always pursuing us despite our sinful actions.

“How beautiful it is that God still pursues us when we are running from Him.” (owlsfororphans.com)

4.   The Heavenly Father has restored a relationship with Him through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

“If God can restore you back to Himself, there is no relationship in your life that is beyond repair.” (Anonymous)

5.   The Heavenly Father will provide you with as many chances as you need to give your burdens to Him, and see Him as Someone, who truly cherishes you. Our ancestors (Adam and Eve) got a second chance at their life, too, just like you will.

“Dear Past, thank you for your lessons. Dear Future, I'm ready. Dear God, tank You for giving me another chance.” (Spiritual Inspiration)

“God created man for fellowship...The fall of man ruined that, and Paradise (that is the Garden of Eden) was lost…On the new earth Paradise will be regained, and God will again fellowship with mankind in a unique sense.” (Paul P. Enns)[ii]

Oliver Cope

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[i] Call 911 if:

• The burned area is charred or white.
• Electric shock or chemicals caused the burn.
• The burn is on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or a joint.
• The burn covers 10% or more of the body.

You can treat mild 1st degree burns -- those that look like sunburns -- at home. Second- or 3rd degree burns need immediate medical attention. Go to urgent care if the burn is oozing or seems infected (red, swollen, tender).

 

[ii] Inspired by the sermon “Walk with Me” Sunday, July 16, 2017 Oliver Cope  CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH

Also used: “Treating Burns and Scalds in Children” reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD