Abiding in EasterSample

ABIDING IN EASTER - LENT DEVOTIONAL by BRYAN CRAIG

DAY 20

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 3:22-24 ESV

Did you realize that two trees are mentioned in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis? There was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, from which they were forbidden to eat. But there is also mentioned the Tree of Life. There was no instruction not to eat from this tree. After the original sin, Adam and Eve had to be punished and were driven out of paradise. They could no longer eat from the Tree of Life now, which would have allowed them to live forever. When I meditate upon this tree of life, I cannot help but think of Jesus. We just talked about how He called Himself the way, the truth and the life. He also said He was The Vine, and we are His branches. Jesus is the way to eternal life. He is also the only way back to the Garden, back to paradise, as He took the punishment for the original sin.

APPLICATION:

Are you eating from the Tree of Life? If you are feasting on His Word, abiding in His Spirit and experiencing His love, you are one step closer to your true home, back in the garden.