Lent 1 – Growing Up in God – Choosing Life with Eyes Wide Open

Growing Up in God – Choosing Life with Eyes Wide Open

A short reflection on Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 and Matthew 4:1-11

What if the story of Adam and Eve isn’t about a terrible fall, but about growing up? In Genesis, when Eve and Adam eat from the tree of knowledge, their eyes are opened. They see their vulnerability. They begin to understand choice. This isn’t a story of shame and punishment, but a moment of awakening.

God doesn’t storm in with anger. God asks gentle questions: “Where are you?” “Who told you that you were naked?” These are the words of a loving parent, not a tyrant. God cares for them, even as they step into a more complex world.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus also faces choices. In the wilderness, he’s tempted by comfort, power, and pride. But Jesus responds with wisdom, not fear. He doesn’t avoid struggle – he embraces it with clarity and faith.

These stories remind us that being human means growing, choosing, and sometimes stumbling. It means learning to walk with God even when the path isn’t simple. It means laying down shame and picking up courage.

We don’t need to fear our questions or our desires. Our bodies are not a source of shame. Our experiences, even the hard ones, shape us into people of depth and compassion. God is not disappointed by our humanity. God walks with us through it.

Growth comes through experience, not perfection.

God meets us in our questions, not just our answers.

Ngā mihi
Philip

Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here:  https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-lent-1-22-february-2026