Pleasing the Eye
Deliberately God planted two significant trees beside each other at the center of Eden. So noteworthy in fact, they were the only two trees He named.
They are:
- the Tree of Life &
- the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.
The Tree of Knowledge was present but not to be eaten from, God instructed. (See Genesis 2:8-17)
God planted this tree for the human choice of faithfulness. Faithfulness is at the center, the core of mans' being; equally as much as both these trees were smack, bang in the middle of Eden.
Faithfulness is only real when unfaithfulness is possible.
Faithfulness surrounds God (Psalm 89:8) and so as one created in His image, it is too the abiding oxygen a believer breathes.
Faithfulness is a daily choice, for when our eyes are centered only upon what pleases us, there will always be the opportunity to deny faithfulness or continue it.
Continually the choice, or even confrontation arises to eat from a tree that is as pleasing to the eye as the one planted beside it, but this literally carries the poison of death.
The 'wisest' king of Israel wrote:
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. (Ecclesiastes 2:10)
Yet Solomon's self-indulgence cost him the Kingdom of Israel and the Israelites' true worship.
The Tree of Knowledge seduces by suggesting that anything pleasing to eye is of an equal benefit for the body and soul, even worthy of worship - BUT:
that which is pleasing to the eye is no guarantee of true value, abiding pleasure or eternal health.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. (Psalm 119:37)
Faithfulness carries its own rewards.
Soul Snippet:
"Families are created for the generational transmission of righteousness."
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