17 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 pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 

      18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; 

      and you shall eat the plants of the field. 

      19 By the sweat of your face 

      you shall eat bread, 

      till you return to the ground, 

      for out of it you were taken; 

      for you are dust, 

      and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19

I am not a farmer who has to contend with the hard dry ground or thorns or the heat of the sun but I do have to contend everyday with a body that is not always anxious to check the boxes of perfection. It will groan at me for hard work that requires sweat. It is repulsed by vegetables and fruits that will bring it needed vitamins and minerals. It is lazy to concentrate on reading when scrolling through images and videos on media sites is more entertaining. Perfection is nearly impossible and paying the rent everyday is a challenge everyday.

Yet in all of this I recognize the grace of God that I am more than what I am. I am a child of God who is a conqueror through Christ who has saved me. In His strength I can do more than I can imagine. I do not have to be bound by the desires of this flesh and this world. Through prayer, faith, and hope I can overcome through the one who is my overcomer.

Pastor Aaron Kruse