The Struggle of Two Sisters...Tuesday

Devotional for Tuesday, July 23, 2013

This is the story of two sisters who share the same house. Perhaps you’re thinking that’s not unusual. You’re right, except that one sister was born in the house they occupy and the second one came in from the outside by way of adoption. 

  

Hi!  I’m Big Sister FLESH.  I’m telling my story first because I’m the older sister. I have always had my way since being born into this house. I don’t know who had the idea to adopt another girl, but she’s here and I have to deal with the intrusion. 

At first I didn’t mind having her around, after all she was small and weak, being so young and all, but I was irritated when she got all the attention. As time passed I convinced her to accept my thoughts and feelings instead of talking about God this, and God that.  She frightened easily when I told her people didn’t want to hear about God things. I even convinced her that she wasn’t smart enough to talk about Him.  She listened to me as I defeated her with discouraging thoughts and words, and ridiculed her hopes of growing up and becoming stronger than me.   HA!  No way!

Hello.  I’m Little Sister FAITH.  I was born into this house by way of adoption, as you’ve heard.  I have an older sister named FLESH who accepted me when I arrived and I thought we got along fine at first. I looked up to her because she knew things about living in this house.

As I grew up, however, she began to bully me into thinking her way. I believed she knew more than I did about who we were and who we should be. I struggled often to say and do the things I knew were right for me but then I got in trouble with her for being what she called a know-it-all.

In Sunday School I learned that my sister's father was a human whom the Creator had made from the earth and named him Adam.  Then the Creator breathed His eternal life into him, making him alive.  Adam was supposed to take care of the Creator’s earth and He even made a woman out of one of Adam’s ribs so he wouldn’t be lonely.  Then one day they both chose to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge which was forbidden by the Creator.

Because they rebelled against Him the Creator's punishment to Eve was to bear fruit, (children), with pain.  Adam’s punishment was to work hard in order to get things to grow. They were also banished from His garden. Then the Creator killed one of the rams Adam was taking care of, so the bloody skin of an innocent one, put on a human, saved them from eternal separation from Himself.  When they left the garden, He set holy angels at the gate so they couldn’t enter again and eat of the Tree of Eternal Life, which would have meant they would live forever in their sin, because sin separates all humans from the Creator. 

Big sister FLESH said the Creator shouldn’t have tempted them with the Tree in the first place. I knew that was wrong somehow. She has said lots of things over the years that are wrong. She won’t agree with the Creator, ever.  He says that FLESH must die, be separated from Him, and FAITH will live forever!  That’s ME! 

FLESH says I think I’m special because I believe the Creator made me from His Holy Spirit instead of Adam and this time she’s right!  My name is FAITH because I trust the Creator and that’s something impossible for FLESH to do.  He told me not to listen to her while I’m here on earth and when my physical body dies I’ll be separated from her forever!  Now when Flesh speaks, I can say, “Go to your room!”  I’m the Big Sister in this house now. 

The Greek meaning of the word adoption in the bible means “to place as a son.”

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again,
but you have received a spirit of adoption
as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:15 NASB

In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ
to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace,
which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

 Ephesians 1:5-6a NASB

Written by
Sandy Schott