Life or Death decisions

I keep thinking about the garden.

The beauty. The peacefulness.

I imagine bright pink and coral flowers, intermixed among deep purples and blues. Trees ripe with fruit, hanging perfectly in reach. The ground freshly toiled and tended, bursting with watermelon, squash, cucumbers, carrots. Nooks of shade beneath the trees, and open fields rich with sunlight.

We know that somewhere in it all, was the tree of knowledge. It's leaves deep green. Its fruit bright in contrast, tender and filled with sweet juice. Appealing.

But somewhere still, was the tree of life, undiscovered, but freely given. Tucked away, a hidden treasure to be found.

They were both there. The truth of that pierces my heart.

God never wanted to withhold life. In the beginning, before it all, he wanted to give the gift of life.

But Satan pointed out what Eve was told she couldn't have. And suddenly it consumed her attention. "Did God really say...?" "God is lying" "He's withholding" "He just doesn't want you to.." the lies of the enemy must have played over and over in her head. Suddenly she wonders, does God lie? Is God withholding? Doesn't God want me to be happy?

So she wanders over to the tree of knowledge. She wants to see this tree for herself, this tree that has been forbidden. Maybe it with look deathly and scary, and it will be easier to believe God. But the tree is beautiful. And it's healthy, and its leaves are deep green with life. And its fruit is perfect and it's appetizing and it hangs just in reach. This tree doesn't look like it will be the death of her. Sometimes the things we want, are not necessarily bad things.

So she gives in. Sin and death enter into the heavenly sanctuary in one decision.

"And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

The tree of life was there! It was just around the corner, undiscovered, waiting, anticipating! That truth of that breaks my heart.

God puts us in seasons. Sometimes those seasons are like spring, overflowing with life. Sometimes those seasons are like a Houston summers, scorching hot and dry. But no matter the season...God is ALWAYS offering life.

Yet, we can we miss it. We miss it because we're too busy focusing on what the enemy is telling us we don't have. Our focus is on our lack.

What in the world could we be lacking when Jesus is present.

I've been so guilty of this. Wanting to skip the season I'm in, to be in the next season ahead. For whatever reason, I've bought the lie that this season has nothing to offer me and that real happiness lies in the future.

What happens when I believe that lie? I start to disconnect, and disengage from the present. I become discontent. Satan is always trying to stir up discontentment. With Eve and with me. "Did God really say..." "God just doesn't want you to be happy"

You can believe in God, but still refuse to believe him.

He said "You are free to eat from any tree...but do not eat from the tree of knowledge" He gave her freedom, to do anything she wanted, he even gave her the tree of eternal life. His withholding was for her benefit, not for her harm.

Every day we have the same life or death decision that Eve had. Will you believe there is life in this moment? Will you seek out life in this moment? Will you be content with where you are, what God has given you?

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."- Philippians 4:11-13

Our discontentment does not reflect our circumstances...it reflects our relationship with Jesus.

When I disengage from a moment, I'm disengaging from God, the one who has not only called me to it, but is present in it. There is life in this moment, because he is in this moment. Do we worship a passive, far away God, or a present and active one? I think if we accept these hard moments, these hard seasons, and just press in, we will find Him and the love and joy and peace and life he brings with him. He always proves faithful.