In the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they are confronted with temptation. Have you ever noticed that no matter how great things seem to be going in your life, that there is always some negative dynamic that arises and threatens to distract or even reverse the joy that is going on? This seems to be the reality of the human drama. In the case of archetypal Adam and Eve, they gave in to the temptation to thwart God’s expressed will and do what they wanted to do. Some scholars have posited this story as an explanation of the unique ability of human beings to be “self-conscious.” This gives us the ability to conceive of ourselves broken out of the tapestry of creation all about us. And once we have succeeded in doing that, we suffer the consequences. Isolation. Alienation. Despair.
In John 18:1 Jesus enters another garden in which he re-inserts himself back into salvation history and subordinates his immediate self-interest to that of the Creator. Let’s be clear: it’s not easily done. Yet this is the example set by the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
What would such self giving look like for you? Less self-indulgence? Less angst about how others perceive you? More concern with the well-being of others? On this Sabbath day, dwell in both gardens and ponder their meaning for you.
