On this holiday which celebrates the creation of Adam and Eve, Jews have a tradition of eating apples dipped in honey. Generally, Jews say that this tradition is mostly just about expressing hope for the New Year. The honey’s sweetness serves as a reminder of what they hope the New Year will bring.
As a Christian, I can’t help but see something else in this tradition. I see an apple, that iconic symbol of sin, dipped in honey. I see the bitterness of sin made sweet. It is a beautiful picture of what Jesus has done for us. He has turned our bitter rebellion into sweet salvation. He has given us not only a New Year of hope but a promised eternity of sweet things with him in a new heaven and earth.
But on this holiday, I would like to suggest a practice we Christian could adopt on this day. Would you join me on this day in a prayer for the Adam and Eve’s of our day, all those God to whom has given a spouse? There is much trouble is so many marriages today. The reasons are so many that it is hardly even reasonable to even begin to list them in forum like this. Let’s leave it at this: there is much sin being committed one spouse against another. Sin’s bitterness is rotting so many marriages away from the inside out. Let us on this day given to remember the creation of the first two people placed into the institution of marriage pray for all those who are struggling within it today.
Let us pray for confession of sins among spouses. Let us pray that such confession would be met with forgiveness. Let us pray that reconciliation would be the result. Let us pray:
Almighty God, sin is making so many marriages full of bitterness. Cover the sins of your people with the sweet honey of forgiveness. Let the forgiveness we have in your Son Jesus flow into all marriages, especially those in particular trouble. Forgive, renew, and reconcile. We ask it in the name of our bridegroom Jesus. Amen.
