In the beginning.
Over the years I have had some wonderful conversations with people about what we think it was like, in the beginning. Different presuppositions and biases create such a rich complexity of opinions, thoughts and theories. Here is part of the biblical narrative to consider as we look at the theme, ‘Live life to the full’.
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 1:8-9)
My mother-in-law doesn’t have a garden at her home. She has a large number of pots, but no garden. But when it comes to spring, I am reminded that she has definitely been to work in ours. Perennial bulbs that she has planted out of season just appear, and new potted plants are added frequently. She definitely loves to garden and we get to appreciate it.
God planned the garden of Eden and placed two trees in the middle. When God spoke to Adam, he gave him the instruction not to eat from one of those. Adam was not restricted from eating from the tree of life, but Eve thought they had been.
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” (Genesis 3:2-3)
Adam and Eve had the same choice that Jesus talks about in John 10:10. They could have chosen the fruit from the tree of life. Instead, they were tempted to taste the fruit from the tree of knowledge; the restricted fruit.
Today, may we all be aware of the opportunities we have to choose life, to speak life or to plant a seed that will bring life in its season. Knowledge is power, they say, but our words bring life.
