The tree of life

“And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden” (Genesis 2:9).  Ultimately God is our provider, and we are not to worry, but seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all necessary thing will be provided (Matthew 6:31-33).  But it's not just about provision, it's about beauty (pleasant to the sight). There's a book “The Evidential Power of beauty” by Thomas Dubay. My take on it, is that nature is more beautiful than evolution requires.  Coming to the tree of life, it was in paradise (in Eden),  and will be there in the New Heavens and the New earth (Revelation 22:2).

There are two aspects to the tree of life. The first is about eternal life. Here in Genesis we read that God sent mankind out of the Garden, lest in their sinful state “he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22). In the New Testament we hear Jesus saying “Whoever lives and has faith in me shall never die” (John 11:26).  Life in eternity, by the way,  will be like it was intended to be in Eden with no death, no sorrow, no crying, and no pain (Revelation 21:4). And this brings us to the second aspect of the tree of life, which Jesus spoke of as life in all its fullness in the here and now (John 10:10b).

Life in all its fullness is part of what we are praying for when we pray “Kingdom of God come on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).  But we need to do more than pray, we also have a part to play. To the one who diligently seeks wisdom and understanding, to this one, it will be a tree of life (Proverbs 3:18). In fact righteousness is in and of itself a tree of life, as is a wholesome tongue (Proverbs 11:30; 15:4). And there is good news for those who have been holding on to God for a promise. Delay of course it difficult, for “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” but on the other hand “when the desire comes, it is a tree of life (Prov. 13:12).    

There's another tree that this side of the fall made it all possible. It looks at first like a tree of death, but it is in fact the ultimate tree of life. I am speaking of the cross of Jesus Christ. In fact Jesus died on that tree that we might have life (1 Peter 3:18). John writes “ He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 1:12). Indeed she who hears the Word of God (in particular hears the gospel and repents – Mark 1:15) and believes (and receives the free gift – John 1:12; Romans 5:18) has passed from death to life (John 5:24). Indeed all theses things are written that we might know that we do indeed have life (1 John 5:13).

Father,  thank You for the tender mercy You demonstrated  in sending Jesus to die for us.  In view of this Lord, the only reasonable response is for us to present our bodies as living sacrifices. This is true worship (Romans 12:1, 2). So I fully surrender to You again this morning Lord,  and I give You the praise and the glory in Jesus Name Amen