| Genesis 3:17-18 – “Cursed is the ground because of you, through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.” |
Thorns are first mentioned in the Bible as part of God’s pronouncement on mankind for Adam and Eve’s sin when they disobeyed His command and ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. Thorns were, and still are, a reminder of the cost of going contrary to God’s commands. The Garden of Eden was a beautiful place, filled with the glorious creations God had placed there specifically for man to enjoy. But man fell prey to Satan’s enticements and when Satan asked the woman if God had really told her not to eat of the fruit of that one particular tree, Eve said, “Well. . . . “She put herself in God’s place and made the choice to disobey God’s command – the ONLY command He’d given when He placed them in the garden.
The ramifications for their action came quickly and resolutely. At God’s command, Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden’s paradise and told that from that point on they would toil with their hands for the food and water they’d had so effortlessly in Eden. It was a devastating blow – not just for them but for all mankind that followed. The worst part? Having enjoyed a close, loving relationship with God, man was now being sent away and a barrier placed between them and God for what they’d done.
But, did God leave mankind in that sorrowful condition? Thankfully, He did not. And surprisingly, what did God use to symbolize and bring about His plan for man’s redemption? He used a painful crown of thorns thrust upon the head of His beloved Son. The blood and the crown of thorns brought things full circle – from man’s fall from grace in the garden to the newfound grace and redemption offered by the same caring God through the blood and death of His Son. What an awesome God we serve who can bring goodness and salvation from such a cruel and painful reminder of how we continually fall short without God’s grace to cover us
Dear Lord, thank you for the beauty to be found in thorns. Even when they prick the skin, they are a reminder of the grace you so freely have given to all those who seek you and follow your commands. We humble ourselves in your presence and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your wisdom, love, and grace. In Jesus name, we humbly pray. Amen.
- Lindy Bell
