Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”
Into the Text
Before God created Eve, He gave Adam two tasks and a command. Adam was to care for and maintain the garden. He was free to eat from every tree in the garden, except the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” because eating from that specific tree would lead to death. Disobedience to God always leads to death in the end.
In our own lives, there are certain “fruits,” which our Heavenly Father has warned us not to “eat.” These are things we should not get involved with nor allow into our thinking, things like pride, greed, lust, envy, idolatry, covetine, and more. These sins can often consume us with deadly effects. They cause the demise and destruction of our intimate relationships with God and with others.
This first command wasn’t given to Adam in order to rob him of fun or steal his joy. It was to test him. God has given us His law to protect and test us. God is a good Father who wants the very best for His children. He loves us so much that He hasn’t left us to our own devices to figure things out but has graciously shown us in His Word what a life of obedience (and subsequent flourishing) looks like.
We can obey and reap the benefits or disobey and suffer the consequences. God will not force our decision, even if we choose disobedience by turning our backs on Him. The choice is ours.
Prayer
Lord God, you are a perfect Father. Thank you for loving me and working all things for my good. Help me to believe that and trust you. Help me to love you with all my heart and to obey you. Amen.