I have so much on my heart to share, and it's getting forgotten before I have a chance. So, this is for myself and my family, so that when I try to remember I have a place to go and say, "this is what God has been showing me."
I have been reading Genesis. And I read a commentary that suggested the Tree of Life is Jesus. I often think myself (I know being totally in error) and have heard others say (who shall remain unnamed.... you know who you are... :D :D) that they would have not fallen into the same temptation as Adam and Eve if they had been there. But in thinking about Jesus as being the Tree of Life, do we not choose the knowledge of good and evil over Him many times in a day? Many times in our lives? Do we not choose to learn about good and evil through man's "wisdom" instead of God's Word? Do we not go to man for understanding instead of God many times?
This morning I am reminded again that Eve was deceived, but Adam made a choice to stick with Eve instead of God -- Adam is the one who disobeyed, who willfully rebelled. But I am also struck with the idea that if Adam had chosen God, He would have provided another -- like Abraham.... Abraham was given the same choice: sacrafice your son, your only son... I see a similarity there; only this time Abraham made the right choice and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Even as Isaac wasn't killed once Abraham made the right choice, maybe Eve would have been forgiven, somehow, redeemed.... ??? not that it matters to my salvation, but it is another reminder of how we are to always put God first, no matter what. That is the ultimate test of faith in Him, that we will obey even if we have to do it alone. Even if it means we will lose what we love most. Even if it means we will lose what God Himself has given to us for our benefit (it is not good that man should be alone -- HE made the woman for Adam's benefit) -- we are to always choose God -- even if He asks us to do what seems against HIS character (the sacrafice of Isaac) We need to trust that He has given us the wisdom we have asked for. We need to know His word so well that we don't have to wonder if it's His will, we will know His will because we know His Word. We need to spend the kind of time with Him that we do with those we love, so we know Him as well as, no, even better than, those we love. And, we need to allow those who love us, to love God more than they love us.... to encourage them in their walk with Jesus, to encourage them to give more time to Jesus than they do to us....
The other thing I read is that the tree was only the first in a set of tests that were designed to bring them to maturity. And it is our first test in being born again: choosing God's Word over man's, choosing to believe God when He says there is only one way to heaven -- choosing to obey, in other words. An interesting idea that deserves more thought.
"...and more than this he tacitly reflects upon God, that he had given him a woman, who, instead of being an help meet to him, had helped to ruin him; and that if he had not given him this woman, he had never done what he had: but at this rate a man may find fault with God for the greatest blessings and mercies of life bestowed on him, which are abused by him, and so aggravate his condemnation." John Gill commentary on Genesis
How often do we do that? Put the blame on something that was given us for benefit? Even now, I wonder if Adam had immediately gone to his knees and begged God for forgiveness instead of waiting until he was asked to explain himself, instead of passing the blame along, would there have been an easier redemption? oh, how we have fallen, how we have grieved our Creator.... how it must have broken His heart, as our own children often break our hearts and as we have broken the hearts of our earthly parents many times over....
My time is up...
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