Day 7: The Curse

Photo from Bible Study Courses

Today's chapter in 31 Days to Clean is one that I'm not exactly sure how I feel about. The basic concept is that the reason our chores (i.e. dishes, laundry, etc.) are never ending is because of Adam's first sin in the Garden of Eden. Sarah Mae explains, "The curse is where God pronounced judgment on our domains" (p.18).  I've never heard this particular argument before, so it is interesting, but...

I have two qualms about this:

1. The downfall happened, but can we move on already! Every excuse for anything goes back to the Garden. I suppose it makes sense because it was the beginning and without that sin there wouldn't be anymore stories in the Bible at all. But that's the point. If they didn't sin and God didn't curse us we wouldn't be living. Everything would be perfect, nothing would happen. I don't like there being bad in the world, but without bad, there can be no good. Our world works in a balance that God created for us.

2. Chores are cycles just like life is cycles. The book states that because of the curse "all of creation now tends toward death, decay and disorder (p.18). I suppose this is true, but within the liner timeline of our lives, the world lives in cycles. We eat, sleep and are active in cycles because each day is the beginning of a cycle. The seasons cycle, and each new year marks the beginning of a cycle. It is because of these cycles that our dishes and laundry are never done.

I'm not sure I explained that right, but let me say this. I don't like the continuous mess and chores any more than the next person. But the thing I have learned is that I will be thankful that I always have dirty dishes in the sink because it means we have enough food to eat. I will be thankful that there is always dirty laundry because it means we have clothes to cover our bodies. I will be thankful that dust builds up because we have a shelter over our heads and a house to call our own. For all the small daily tasks I have to do (no matter how much I dislike doing them) I will be thankful because it means I am alive and healthy and can take care of the ones I love.

I think my biggest reluctance for this chapter is that I have studied this passage about the down fall of man many times in my life and the more I study it, the more intricacies come out of it. It is too much for me to get into here, but maybe one day I'll post about what I have learned through this passage. One thing I will say is that the devil tempts us to not continue the cycle (that is life) because he wants us to rebel against God just as he did. Satan tempts us all the time including our dislike to complete housework. (The book discusses how unproductive work is the curse, which is why we feel down about our chores. This is Satan's ploy.) And you can relate the housework back to the fall of man in Genesis, but Satan was in the Garden as well (Genesis 3:1). Even if man did not give into the sin, Satan would still tempt us.

Today's Mary challenge is to read Romans 8:20-21 and find hope in the curse:

"Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay." Romans 8:20-21 (NLT)

When Jesus comes again the cycle will end. This also happens when we die; if we carry Jesus in our heart we will go to heaven and be with God free from pain. I like the against our will part...but we continue on because God granting us life is a gift. And I don't want to overlook any gift, large or small, from the Lord--even when that means I have to do extra laundry because my daughter likes to play in the dirt all day or extra dishes because we had company visit. These are gifts that give me hope as well.

You can read about the Fall of Man and the Curse in Genesis 3.

(Sarah Mae did a very good job explaining the theory of the Curse. And I agree with her, the concept makes sense, I just feel like there is a lot more to it. These are my opinions and this is probably the most controversial topic I have written about yet. So...I am open to thoughts or ideas on the subject.)

*Note: The challenge is associated with Joyful Mothering from the book 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae.