Tree of Life

Today, the drawing prompt was Tree of Life... now many things ran through my head the first time I saw this prompt. I settled on one, because in all that I do and all that I am, it is the most appropriate for me, I think.

Okay, so some of you may be thinking, "how does a cross represent the tree of life?" And others of you will get it right away. Let me explain my thoughts.

The Tree of Life mentioned in the Bible is in the Garden of Eden, it was there along with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It probably was a normal looking tree, maybe a dogwood, maybe not.

"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, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Genesis 2:9

There was only one tree God told Adam he could not eat from. That was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil....

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17

Eve was created after God gave this command to Adam and he told her. It doesn't say how he told her or when, but if he is anything like us today some of the "threat" or the "urgency" of the command must have been lost in the translation. Anyway, I am sure you know the rest of the story... The point is they could have eaten from any and all trees except the one they ate from... even the Tree of Life. 

So, because of Adam's sin (eating from the forbidden tree), God had to keep them from eating from the Tree of Life before the right time and His sovereign plan could unfold.... 

 "Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life."   Genesis 3:22-24

Jump forward a thousand or so years (give or take some) Jesus, God's perfect Son enters the scene and becomes the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is reticulated, rejected, and hated, yet He loved us all enough to lay down His life on the cross, so that we who believe in Him can have everlasting life. Yes, the cross was a means of torture and death, it is also a symbol for Life... it is made from a tree... it is the Tree of Life for all who believe.

There are only ten words one must believe to put your faith in Jesus and become a child of God...

"Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead."

 If you believe that Jesus did what is stated above with all your heart, then you are a child of God. Believing that statement above is all it takes to go to heaven, you don't, you can't do anything but believe... Jesus did it all, he is the only one that could.

Some of you may think how can you believe that, it is a fairy tale, or truth but not exactly. There are a lot of people who believe Jesus lived and died, it is the rising part that stops them from believing it all. If that is you we can talk, I will share my thoughts, you can question me... I want everyone to come to know and love my Lord, but I won't be pushy, you have a right to believe what you do and I have the same right to believe what I do. I love all people, to the best of my ability which, let's face it isn't ever enough. I will in this blog write my opinions and thoughts, if you agree great if not okay...can we still be friends??? in my mind yes!!! Thanks for reading, God bless you all.