The Household of God
Volume 1
The early history of mankind
- Chapter 135 -
ADAM'S FOOLISH ANSWER
When Asmahael had thus spoken to all those present with great ardor, behold, they were all seized with fear and no one was able to utter any word of comfort to another, for the so very obvious truth rendered any excuse impossible. As a result there ensued a great silence during which everyone kept arguing with his heart seeking some comforting excuse. But the impoverished heart failed to create any wealth in that wherein it was so poor itself.
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After quite a while, Adam finally rose and spoke in a gentle-sounding yet forcible tone:
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"Asmahael! Whoever You may be - a man or the supreme, holy God, I truly do not care about that -, behold, I have once fallen on the difficult path of the divine will and am no longer able to rise. I always wanted to walk the right path and sought as much as possible to avoid every stumbling block. However, it was not I who created the uneven, stony earth, but this is a work of God. If I, notwithstanding all my attention, have as the first man failed here and there, say, shall and can I alone be made responsible? And if my heart has turned into either sand or a stone, is there no means of converting it once more permanently into good soil?
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"And if I am already such a decidedly bad offender, tell me, is there no longer any mercy for such in the heart of God?
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"For according to Your admonition, except for Enoch, no one will probably be able to preserve his life before God.
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"How is one supposed to love God without first forming an opinion of Him as to how exceedingly great, yes, infinitely great He is compared to even His most perfected beings?
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"Behold, you demand the impossible of us! If in Your perfection You do not conceive of this impossibility, You cannot deny what I perceive in myself only too clearly.
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"If You now, either in the name of God or as the Supreme God Himself, demand such a thing of me and all my descendants, say, is it not fair to ask You to give us together with Your demand also the means and put them in our hearts by which we shall all be enabled to indisputably meet Your demands?
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'That we do not lack the good will, I hope You will be able to gather from my words and see in my heart. O mighty Asmahael, do not hold this necessary eruption of my heart against me. The always mighty one can help himself when something oppresses him, but the helpless worm in the dust can do nothing but turn when in the throes of death, having been half squashed by the hoof of the powerful horse.
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"Oh consider these words and do bear in mind what it means to be a helpless creature aware of itself by the side of an invisible, infinite and forever supremely mighty Creator.
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"Behold, what an unthinkable indescribable relationship: a supposed to be free helplessness under a free, infinite, eternal might!
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'Therefore, if it is at all possible, help us who are already trampled upon, instead of trampling us down even more! It would be better to destroy us completely than to keep tormenting us more and more! Amen."