Adam & Eve

As many parents of 3-years olds do - we have a bedtime story ritual every night at around 8:15pm. This time is often very enlightening, not just for Luke, but for Larry and myself. Luke is at the most fun age where he says random things, has bewildering insights, and absorbs everything around him with a sponge-like brain.
On Wednesday night of this past week, we were going through our normal bedtime routine and reading a story out of his toddler's bible. Larry and I used to actually read stories to him, but lately Luke insists on telling the story himself (making sure to point out every tiny detail, as if he's teaching us something we have yet to discover). On this particular night, we were flipping the pages in his bible - and he stopped at the story of Adam & Eve. He looked at me in all seriousness, and said, "Mommy, do you know what happened here? Do you know why that girl is crying?" (In the picture, Adam and Eve are standing near "the tree" and Eve has bowed her head in tears). I asked him to tell me what had happened. He responded by saying "Well, God told her not to touch that tree so that it wouldn't hurt her. And she didn't listen to him and she touched it and now she is crying because it hurt her - just like God said."
Now, I have never told Luke the story of Adam & Eve; therefore I'm assuming he heard it in Sunday school. And obviously, he didn't get the story exactly right......BUT, the overall concept was correct.
Ever since that night, Luke's version of the story has echoed in my mind. How often am I convinced that "I know better" than God? How many times have I deliberately chosen my way over His - because I didn't believe His way was any better? And THEN - look at all the times I have suffered the consequences of my sinful choices? I may not see the consequences clearly every time I ignore God's direction - but you can bet I missed out on sweet fellowship with Him. God gives us boundaries because He knows what is BEST for us. He knows that sin hurts: it hurt Eve when she didn't listen - and it hurts us when we refuse to listen.
God spoke to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah saying, "....listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." (Isaiah 55:2b NIV)
If we choose to turn our ears off to Jesus - then we miss the blessing of obedience he longs to give us......and that blessing of obedience far outweighs the momentary pleasure of disobedience we experienced.
So Luke was right in a way: Eve cried because she didn't listen to God - and it hurt her.
I speak encouragement to my own heart this afternoon as I sit here and type this next verse:

"Hear O my people, and I will warn you -

if you would but listen to me, O Israel!

You shall have no foreign god among you;

you shall not bow down to an alien god.

I AM the Lord your God,

who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it."

Psalms 81:8-10 (NIV)