It was all happening, just as God had promised. The curse that David had brought upon himself by despising the word of the LORD, by striking down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, by taking Uriah’s wife Bathsheba as his own; that curse was now coming to fruition.
Daniel had to be counting his blessings. After being carried away from his homeland as a teenager, he had survived two kings and their visions and dreams. Now the third king, Darius the Mede, who had no loyalty or familiarity with Daniel had made him one of three supervisors over the whole kingdom.
We may not deal with the physical struggles of a desert, but we know what it means to follow our own ways only to find ourselves wandering and lost.
So far in our journey on the Road to Redemption, we’ve seen the picture of Jesus in the passover lamb. We’ve seen him battle against the temptations of Satan and fulfill the promise God made in the Garden of Eden.
Have you ever heard the song “Hurt” by Johnny Cash? It was actually first written by a man named Trent Reznor of the band “Nine Inch Nails” in 1994. Johnny Cash covered it in 2002 and it became a hit. At the time, he was 71 and his health was rapidly declining.
So when the accusations come, when self-pity tempts, when you want to complain or cry out, remember that your Savior was silent for you. First look up to Christ and then to the people around you.
“How do you do it? How do you stay so positive with so much negativity in the world?” “How can you go on? How can you find joy in life when you’ve dealt with so much pain and loss?” Those questions have been asked of God’s people since sin entered the world.
Our theme tonight is from Garden to Garden, specifically looking at the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane. The closer you look, an incredible symmetry is revealed between Eden and Gethsemane. Listen to how God reverses things, how Jesus redeems the past from Garden to Garden.
Have you ever felt like you’re doing everything you’re supposed to be doing, you’re doing everything the right way, and you’re still struggling?
I think that I’d always gotten the impression that it was sinful for the Israelites to ask for a king. We certainly get that impression from 1 Samuel chapter 8.
Eastside Evangelical Lutheran Church and School
2310 Independence Lane
Madison, WI 53704
