When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT
As the Lord has been showing us more and more of His good creation and significance of trees (trees, bushes, vines, etc), I’ve been greatly challenged and convicted in my pursuit of the Tree of Life. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given the option of the Tree of Life or the Tree of Knowledge.
Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
genesis 2:8-9
I love to imagine this original Eden, full of beauty and wonder and fruit and flowers. I’ve been blessed to see gardens and areas of His creation so glorious here on earth. And just like there are present wonders reflecting His beauty, there are even more present wonders around life and knowledge.
The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
genesis 2:15-17
Our world continues to present the temptations of life and knowledge of good and evil. And just like Adam and Eve in the beginning, we are constantly faced with choices like theirs.
God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
genesis 3:3-6
“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it.
Ya’ll, I love to learn. I love to study and gain understanding. I love knowledge. And I love to know good and evil. I’m even quick to judge based upon this knowledge. And I’m afraid I’m not the only one. We have so many resources at the touch of our fingertips constantly. We scroll, we google, we ask Siri and Alexa, we even ask (or tell) through public posts. Knowledge and wisdom are not bad but so easily lead toward self-sufficiency rather than Spirit-led living.
But life! Life in Christ! The life of love, freedom, truth, and grace that He desires is not found in this knowledge. We exhaust ourselves trying to cling to the Tree of Life AND the Tree of Knowledge! We can’t have both. Adam and Eve learned this in the beginning, and we continue to learn this today. Which tree are you nurturing today?
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
jeremiah 17:7-8 esv
The ultimate Tree of Life can now be found as a cross. A cross that held our Savior and represents the life He gave so we can have an abundant one in Him.
As we’re deeply rooted, abiding in Him, let’s cling to the Tree of Life. His good, gracious, beautiful Tree that bring protection, shelter, provision, strength, and adventure. Let us worship with all that we are – heart, soul, strength, and mind. Stand firm in tree pose and celebrate our life in Christ!
Holy Barre 