Have you noticed how many people mistakenly believe the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was an apple? The Bible tells us it was “…the tree of the knowledge of good and evil….” (Genesis 2:17) This is an extinct fruit. Adam and Eve were enticed to partake of the forbidden fruit by the serpent, who challenged God’s word and said, “You surely shall not die!” (Genesis 3:4) As they listened to the Serpent, he told them, “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate….”

Have you noticed the logo for the Apple Computer Company? It’s an apple with a bite missing. I have thought little of the connection between the forbidden fruit and Apple computers. Little that is until I purchased one.

January 18, 2008, Judy and I purchased an iMac computer, made by Apple. We anteed up the big bucks and bought the “big dog” computer, the one with the huge screen that makes you feel like you are sitting in the front row of a theater—up close and personal. We were overwhelmed by the sharpness of the screen and the fact that everything was contained in the monitor. What a machine! And everyone said, “It is good--Mac computers are great—they’re practically indestructible—they almost run themselves—they are maintenance free.” We looked at the machine and realized it was a delight to the eyes, and that the machine was desirable to make us wise, for creative people use Macs!

We also looked at the extended warranty with its’ huge cost and pondered our options. As we thought, I’d swear we heard a voice whispering in our ears, “It surely shall not die!” So we closed the deal, denied the warranty, and took our prize home. And all was well—until the normal warranty expired. Shortly after it expired, so did our beautiful iMac. As I looked for ways to resurrect the fallen said computer, I soon discovered that these large iMac machines are not so infallible. In fact, they are quite fallible and very prone to last until just past their basic warranty. “Surely,” I thought, “a reputable company such as Apple will run to my rescue, apologize for having misled me with deceptive advertising and a false reputation.”  But alas, dear reader, such was not to be. In fact, I’ve discovered that Apple is an elusive brand once you’ve crossed over to the dark side and made the big buy. I get endless phone recordings telling me to try another number, or I talk to India who wants me to buy a new iMac because it’s cheaper than fixing the “outdated” model I have (GIVE ME A BREAK—15 MONTHS SHOULD NOT OUTDATE AN APPLE!!!!!) Even the manager of the local store where I purchased this piece of…oops, don’t want to go there…has tried to obtain a simple phone number at Apple where I can ask for help. Even he can’t get a number.

Here’s the point to my ranting. This morning I read in Hebrews 7:25 about how Jesus is our permanent High Priest. And the author said, about Jesus, “…since He always lives to make intercession for them (meaning us).” Oh my goodness! I can’t find anyone at Apple to talk with me about my problem, but I have an Intercessor in heaven Who “…always lives to make intercession…for me. A computer is, basically, insignificant; heaven is—well, more than significant. And I can talk to heaven anytime. How’s that for reordering priorities on a Monday morning?

You know how some people seem to have selective memory? They don’t remember everything, just the good things they do. This morning I realized that God is the best example of selective memory I’ve ever seen. (Bear with me, I’m not being blasphemous.)

 

Monday I quoted Psalm 103:12 (NIV) “…as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” God doesn’t even remember our sins and transgressions. Today I read Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and still ministering to the saints.” Oh my goodness! He forgets our bad stuff but remembers our good works? This is the selective memory example I was referencing earlier. It’s not blasphemous, it’s “blessingus” (made-up word to fit the occasion).

 

The weekend is here and you’ve survived. Take time Sunday to worship the God Who so loves us He sent His Son to take our penalty of death; who willingly forgives (AND FORGETS) our sins when we ask, and TOTALLY REMEMBERS our good works. Maybe this week you’ve gone above and beyond in helping others and no one seemed to notice. TAKE HEART, CHILD OF GOD. YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS AND REMEMBERS!!!!!!!

This Sunday I’m preaching on the last attribute (in this summer sermon series) of God, “He is Love.” Something happens to me whenever I get to preach, especially during the preparation time. It’s as though God shows me things I’ve read but never actually seen before. Case in point: the love of God that caused Him to sacrifice His only Son on our behalf. When I was a child and thought like a child, this seemed like a big thing for Christ to do. When I became a parent and thought like a parent, this seemed like an impossible sacrifice for God to make. How can you sacrifice a child? Now that I’m a grandparent and think like a grandfather, it’s even more mind boggling at what God did in sending Jesus.

 

Today, in my study time, I saw something new (to me). Hebrews 5:7 reads, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.” Oh my goodness! I’ve read/preached about His night in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke tells us, “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” (Luke 22:44) A great battle of the will was taking place in the Garden the night before He was arrested. Somehow reading of his “prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears” gave me a new perspective on Christ’s approach to His sacrifice. Jesus wanted to avoid the cross. He really, really, really wanted to avoid the cross. God heard His prayers and, while not actually turning a deaf ear to Jesus, rejected His plea. HOW DO YOU TELL YOUR ONLY SON THAT YOU HEARD HIS REQUEST TO BE SPARED FROM A HORRENDOUS DEATH AND STILL DENY HIS REQUEST MADE WITH LOUD CRYING AND TEARS?!?!? This was a grown man who had encountered much during His time on earth and was crying.

 

God told Him “no” and Jesus obeyed out of love—for you and me. WOW!!!!! In spite of how much God loved (and loves) His Son, His love for you and me drove Him to tell Jesus to—well, probably didn’t tell Him to suck it up and take it like a man—consider what the sacrifice would mean to millions of humans. So Jesus got up from His prayer rock, met the oncoming soldiers, and willing went to the cross. He did this all for you and me. Folks, this is some kind of love. I can’t wait to tell you more about it Sunday.

It’s another hump day—how are you doing? Did your weekend prepare you for what you have been facing this week? Wish the weekend was here already?

 

In Hebrews 4 the author has been describing the believer’s rest. Notice what he wrote, “There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.”  WOW! GOD EXPECTS US TO TAKE A REST EACH WEEK! We’ve become so good at multi-tasking that we have difficulty slowing down and taking a rest.

 

Dr. Richard Swinson, in his book Margin describes the importance of taking time to recharge ourselves. He likens what we need to do with maintaining a safe stopping distance between us and the car in front. If we’re tailgating and the lead car stops quickly, without a margin for error we have an accident. The same thing is true for our bodies. When we work ourselves day and night and never really have time to recharge, we have no margin for fighting illness and get sick all too easily. It also applies to our spiritual lives. When we fail to take time to renew ourselves spiritually, we fall into sinful actions or habits entirely too easily.

 

God knew all this when He designed our bodies. He planned for us to take some time off. It’s now mid-week. It’s not too late to make plans for a rest this weekend. In fact, if you’ll take a rest for your body, soul and spirit, you’ll accomplish much more than if you worked all weekend. Plus, God calls non-stop work “disobedience.” Enough said?