It's a Choice

This verse hit me squarely for the first time today...
"Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever— therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken." (gen 3:22-23)

I never recognized this progression... 

Genesis 2:9
"And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

Genesis 2:16-17

"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Genesis 3:22-24
"Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever— therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.  He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life."

It's a choice . . . Adam & Eve were told they could eat from the trees.  BEFORE THE FALL THEY WERE FREE TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO.  This never hit me so hard as today.  

Deuteronomy 30 brings the choice back to mind...  choose life and good ... or ... choose death and evil. 

Obey or Disobey.  Simple as that.

Today, we are presented with the same choice.

I wonder how often I pick from the tree of knowledge rather than the tree of life. 
From myself, or the world and humanity thank from Jesus Christ Himself...

Revelation 2, the church of Ephesus.  The church that tested false teachers, and hated the things that God hates, and yet lost their first love... The church i so easily resonate with.  The reward for overcoming... to eat of the tree of life...

Revelation 22... ooh for a glimpse of that...

I hope this draws you right to the feet of Jesus like it has for me...