Let’s get naked.

I mean it.  Let’s get naked. Let’s go back in time…back before this moment:

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.  –Genesis 3:7

Let’s spit out the forbidden fruit, and tell the serpent to talk to the hand, and hang out in some place — any place other than next to that infernal tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Who’s with me?

Let’s choose not to Fall this time.  Let’s stay innocent and happy.

Let’s frolic in the garden, and maybe name some more animals, and just be there with God.

And if that means giving up our free will, and never growing and branching out and using all the knowledge we have in our brains, it’s a small price to pay. Right?

I mean, I look around and I see so much misusing of that ole Free Will.  Don’t you?

Maybe we’d be better off without it.

And so… you get to hear it here first:

I’m officially launching the Back To Eden Movement!

…

…

And in the next breath, I’m announcing that the Back To Eden Movement is closing down.

You see, for every time I get exasperated and despairing, for every time I throw up my hands and say, “I give up, God…put me back in the Garden, and reset me, and I’ll be your devoted robot”

For every time I say that, I immediately remember that Christ came to THIS world, with all it’s messiness, with a message of Love and Hope, Salvation and Service.

Stripped naked of all pretenses and ulterior motives and sinful behaviors, Christ revealed to us the core of human living.

Christ modeled for us a way of life that works in THIS life.  It’s not always easy.  Sometimes it’s downright painful.

But Christ showed us a way of life based on using our God-given abilities and gifts in the service of the Kingdom.

No Eden required.

When I long for a more innocent world, for a simpler existence, I need only affirm my discipleship to Jesus, and I calm down.

We may not need to head Back To Eden — maybe couldn’t if we tried.

Instead, we are moving toward the Kingdom.  (A New Eden?)

where Clothing ourselves in Christ…

Is probably not optional. 🙂

Have a great week,

Mitch