“THE TREE!”

Genesis 2:15-17                            (ESV)

“15 The LORD GOD took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

16 And the LORD GOD commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

17 but of “THE TREE” of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."”

Having heard these verses from my childhood, I have never “tilled” this ground much, always assuming that man’s disobedience was what should be focused on??  But this morning ALMIGHTY GOD is causing me to look through a different lens as I consider what Adam was offered, and tempted with, by the enemy so long ago.  

GOD “commanded” that man (at the time it was only Adam) abstain from partaking of “THE TREE” of knowledge of good and evil.  HE wanted us to “live by FAITH” (Hebrews 11:6) and TRUST in HIM!   Of course, Adam (and Eve) chose to disobey their Creator (as we most assuredly would have done) and mankind has been living in a fallen state since.   

As previously mentioned, Hebrews 11:6 says “....Without FAITH, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please GOD....”.   Our lack of FAITH displays itself in the way our lives are lived out and the paths we often find ourselves on.   Isn’t it amazing how we were “commanded” to avoid “THE TREE” of knowledge of good and evil, and JESUS has to be suspended on “THE TREE” to redeem our Souls on Calvary?  And the only way we can be redeemed IS STILL FAITH IN HIM????

There are MANY things that this person does not have the answers to, and I am not ashamed to admit it!  But I TRUST in the ONE WHO does have the answers and I am so glad HE paid the price to redeem me on “THE TREE” that wonderful day!