Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Before and After (05/14/09)
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TITLE: A Garden Walk | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
05/15/09 -
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“Adam, isn’t this the most beautiful garden you’ve ever seen?
“Yes, my love,” Adam replied. “However, there is something in this garden that is even more beautiful.”
“There is? What?” Eve asked, with a confused look.
Looking into her beautiful face, and with a gleam in his eyes, he whispered, “You are, my dear.”
Eve’s blush caused her husband to smile. This woman was a precious gift from Jehovah God. He loved being with her every moment of the day.
Later that afternoon, as Adam enjoyed some play time with the animals around him, Eve continued her stroll through the garden. At each new flower she came to, she paused to breathe in its fragrance. “I can’t decide which is the most beautiful. I love them all” she sighed. She then picked one of the sweet blooms and placed it in her hair.
A few of the animals followed her as she continued her stroll through the garden. She smiled as she talked to them. “You like this garden too, don’t you?” The lion gave her a gentle nudge as if to say, yes, he too loved the garden. As she approached a bend in the path she was met by the most beautiful creature she had ever encountered. “I don’t remember seeing him in the garden before”, she whispered to herself. He was wrapped around a tree. With a leering glance he seemed to hiss, “You are also very beautiful.”
Eve continued her walk, which led to the middle of the garden. There, before her, stood “the tree” they were not to eat from. As she sat on the ground, the lion sleeping peacefully beside her, the beautiful creature started a conversation with her.
“It’s a beautiful tree, isn’t it?” he said. “See the beautiful fruit? Wouldn’t you like to taste its sweetness?”
“Oh, no, we can’t” Eve stated. “God said we could eat from any tree in the garden, just not this one or we will die.” “Look,” Eve stood and twirled, her arms pointing in all directions, “there are dozens of other beautiful trees for our enjoyment, all with scrumptious fruit.”
The creature smiled in a cunning sort of way. “But this fruit is the most delicious. See how ripe the fruit is? You simply must taste it. Why would God not want you to enjoy this fruit anyway? Surely it’s good for you. God knows if you eat this fruit you will become like him, knowing good and evil. God didn’t really mean you would die.”
Eve considered her options. Should she believe this creature? The fruit did look delicious. As the creature tempted her, she picked some of the fruit, turned it over in her hand, then, took a big bite. As she chewed, the creature smiled with satisfaction.
At that moment, Adam approached. “Adam!” she cried. “Come eat something that is absolutely wonderful. I can’t believe God kept this delicious fruit from us.”
“Eve! We’re not suppose to eat from this tree, or we’ll die”, Adam exclaimed.
“Well, now, do I look dead?
No. Eve appeared to be perfectly healthy as she stood before him enjoying the fruit in her hand.
Adam took a big bite from the fruit Eve gave him. The moment he took the first bite, their eyes were opened to see the garden, and each other, in a way they had never experienced before. They did not like this new experience.
“What is happening?” Eve cried. “What have we done?”
“Children, where are you?” God called from the trees. Adam grabbed Eve’s hand as they ran to hide behind a large bush. “Why are you hiding? Did you eat from the forbidden tree?”
Trembling, with fear, Adam replied, “This woman you gave me told me to eat, and I ate.”
“Why, Eve?” God asked
“This beautiful creature told me it would be okay. He said you wouldn’t mind. He told me I really wouldn’t die, and I believed him. It’s his fault,” cried Eve.
God didn’t seem pleased with their excuses.
An animal had to die to cover the evidence of their sinfulness. Eve wept as she watched what God was doing. With amazing love, God clothed them and forgave them, but not before banishing them from the beautiful garden.
As Eve pondered all that had happened, she confessed to God, “I liked by life better before I sinned. Yet, it was after you sacrificed the animal I tasted the sweetness of forgiveness. Thank you.”
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