Jesus Outreach Ministries

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception;in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.- Genesis 3:16.

About 30 years ago, I purchased a plant called a Thanksgiving cactus.

It is really a Christmas cactus that blooms at odd times. It was blooming at Thanksgiving when I bought it, hence the name. I’ve since discovered that it blooms once a year every other year, and the other years it blooms almost all year round. It’s a hardy plant that has been knocked over more than once and crammed back into its pot. It survived my neglect, my various moves across state lines, and my over- and under-watering. Still it blooms consistently to this day.

I’ve often shared cuttings with various friends. One person regretted that she could not keep it going, and she finally pitched it. I was dismayed, because of the history I’ve had with this plant, but I accepted that it didn’t work out for her.

Had she faulted the plant, my gift to her, however, I would have had trouble believing her. It might have put a strain on our relationship.

God’s creation was his gift to humankind. He gave the man and woman his personal garden to live in and work in. When God asked the woman what she had done, she passed blame to the serpent, which was part of God’s gift of the universe to her and the man. By blaming the serpent, she avoided expressing remorse. She expected that the punishment would be passed to where the blame rested.

Knowing our human condition, if the woman went unpunished, she would grow even more arrogant and abandon the privilege of managing God’s wondrous gift. So, to remind her of God’s pain for passing her responsibility to the serpent, God increased her pains when passing a child in birth. In birth, every woman in each generation is reminded of her personal responsibility to her offspring and to all God’s gifts to her.

SAY THIS: Our Heavenly Father in Heaven, teach us to be good stewards to everything you entrust to us. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen.”