Every Tree Except One…
I was thinking recently about the story of Adam and Eve. One of the first questions people often ask about this story is: Did it really happen? Doesn’t this bump up against what science tells us? But that question is not going to get us very far. What if we could ask a different question? What if we asked – besides being an origin story – besides being a story about where we came from – what are the deeper truths it seeks to tell us?
One of the things this passage does is that it reminds us that God has blessed us beyond measure. The first two chapters of Genesis describe blessing upon blessing. There is an overwhelming sense of the goodness of God, the goodness of God in creating this beautiful universe teeming with light and life, God’s goodness in creating and blessing us with abundant food, fulfilling work, and companionship!
However, it also reminds us that even in the midst of this abundance, there are limits to what is life-giving, healthy, and good.
God says to them: You may freely eat of every tree except one.
What happens when we say, “Ok God, you’ve given us so much, but we want it all, we want to live as if there are no legitimate limits? What happens when our appetites are given free rein? When we begin to believe that it is our God-given right to use every resource and creature on earth for personal enjoyment or gain? What happens when the goal of human life then is to acquire more, to experience more, to stimulate every sense to capacity and beyond?
We know what happens, don’t we?
On the other side of this, may you and I be the kind of people who cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for the blessings that surround us, right here and right now. May we discern the limits to what is good and healthy for us and for those around us. And as we do, may feel contentment, and be at peace.
Let us pray: Loving God, You have created us in such a way that we do long for something more. Help us be clear about what will fill those longings and what will not. May our hearts rest in you; through Christ our redeemer. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
