“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:9 KJV)
“…in the midst of the garden…” Two trees. It’s the age old question. Why would God put something in the midst of a garden where He has also placed us, and we are not allowed to consume its fruit? Ah, but by not consuming its fruit, we do have something! Something very important! Something that we learn in time is very central to us. Is there any value in us fundamentally knowing that there are things too great for us? Things at least greater than us. What if by putting something in our reach, that at first glance looks like it has a “forbidden” label on it, instead it turns out to be a chance to discover humility? Even in a perfect garden, where we have not yet entered any sin of any kind, would not a chance to forbear or to learn what yielding is be a skill worth having? A chance to look for the other. A chance to know that I am not complete alone. What if God thought that by not being allowed to have something it would in turn be a skill that we would need in developing relationships with others? It’s like he knew how to grow us in something that we need to be able to grow in! Wow, it is central to our garden after all! Could it be that by not consuming from a tree that we are actually consuming the very nutrients that he has for us?
Of course, you can see the result of actually consuming such a fruit. I now know what is good and evil. I no longer have a need for the other. I am central. They are now competition. We can begin to see how on that very day that we eat of it, that we begin to die.
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24 KJV)