Suffering pt2

As I wrote in the last posting suffering is common, yet it is solitary and at times without comfort. Suffering attacks our senses.  People suffer pain, from the discomfort to the agony. And, that pain can be felt in all of our senses. Some suffering comes as a result of decisions or choices that we make. Some suffering comes to the innocent and the unexpecting. When suffering falls upon the innocent of the world we are filled with questions that are without answers.

I need to reiterate a point. What is, is not what was. I would like to explore suffering as it has to do with people of faith. People who have faith in the love and sovereignty of God as shown to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, ought to have a different view of suffering. I would like to explore suffering from a Christian view beginning with the beginning, Genesis. Perfection in relationships between man and God was the norm as Genesis shows. Adam and God shared perfect fellowship in the created world. Adam was given the responsibility of stewardship over his world. He was to tend the garden paradise and name each creature placed in his world.

Adam was given a partner in Eve. She was created by God using a sacrifice from Adam. his rib. Again, they lived in perfect happiness and harmony with their Creator. As Adam and Eve chose to exercise their free will and break the expressed command of God the consequences were immediate, far reaching, and everlasting. As a result of the fall, a commonly used term, suffering becomes part of the human experience.

As a direct result of Adam's fall two immediate pronouncements are made. Adam is destined to till the earth by the sweat of his brow and the earth will yield with a grudge as Adam will fight thorns and thistles. Adam will be tormented as he remembers what he enjoyed in the garden. He will struggle until his death, which is the second pronouncement. As had enjoyed perfect fellowship his living in paradise was intended to be everlasting. By his disobedience he will return to the dust of the earth.

Eve will share in the pronouncements upon Adam. She will struggle upon the earth and die. Another pronouncement upon Eve is the pain she will suffer with bearing children. So, physical pain enters the life of Eve. Physical and mental suffering will be Adams as he tills the stubborn earth and remembers how things were in paradise.