Free To Choose

Genesis 1:29 – Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
Genesis 2:15-17 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

God had only given Adam one commandment, not ten, to keep. Adam failed at that one. God had merely commanded, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die." God's first word to Adam was grace. God said, "You are free…" God said, "Free to eat from any tree in the garden." In other words, "Adam, I'm giving you the garden. It's yours. Eat whatever you want from any tree. It's all yours." Do you feel the grace of God, here? Do you understand how good and giving God is? Then God adds only one word of warning. Only one command. "Don't eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It will kill you." God's prohibition to Adam translated into modern English means, "Don't partake of the fruit of good and evil. Don't ingest this experience. You will surely die." As Adam discovered to his dismay, once experienced, evil kills. As some of us have discovered to our dismay, once experienced, evil kills — maybe not right away, but ever so slowly, it gnaws out our life, like a rat in the timbered walls. God intended good. God intended grace. God gave. God loved. So Christ Jesus came "…that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 KJV)

Prayer: Loving Creator, Thank You for giving me the freedom of grace. Thank You for the freedom in Jesus to choose. I choose You. Enable me to live accordingly. For I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.