Life - or Knowledge of Good or Evil?

For several days now a passage from Mark has been in the back of my mind and I've been pondering it:

"Then he called to the crowd again and told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand!  Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It’s what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!” When he had left the crowd and gone home, his disciples began asking him about the parable. He asked them, “Are you so ignorant? Don’t you know that nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean?  Because it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then into the sewer, thereby expelling all foods.”  Then he continued, “It’s what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean, because it’s from within, from the human heart, that evil thoughts come, as well as sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these things come from inside and make a person unclean.” (Mark 7:14-23 ISV)

We live in a day and age when much is made about proper diet in maintaining our health.  While I DO believe that it is prudent to consider such things, this passage has kept pushing my thinking on this matter.  Certainly I understand the spiritual implications here, but what if it is true physically as well?  In this "scientific age" are we so focused on the ideas of germs and healthy diet that we're missing the more important picture?  We all know people who have lived a lifestyle that was far from healthy by today's standards, and yet have lived a long life.  Is this the missing ingredient? It was in this context that I read in the book of Genesis this morning:

"The tree of life was also in the middle of the garden, along with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. . . . The Lord God commanded the man: “You may freely eat from every tree of the garden, but you are not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because you will certainly die during the day that you eat from it.” . . . . When the woman saw that the tree produced good food, was attractive in appearance, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. Then she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate some, too. As a result, they both understood what they had done, and they became aware that they were naked. . . . When they heard the voice of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden during the breeze of the day, the man and his wife concealed themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. . . . . Later, the Lord God said, “Look! The man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, so he won’t reach out, also take from the tree of life, eat, and then live forever—” therefore the Lord God expelled the man from the garden of Eden so he would work the ground from which he had been taken." (Genesis 2:9, 16-17; 3: 6-7, 8-9, 22-23  ISV)

The message in Genesis seems very clear.  Death came to this world because of eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The story of Adam and Eve and their eating of the fruit of the tree and being forced to leave the garden is told often enough that we may forget to pay attention.  Do we miss the point of this story?  It seems to me that this story is NOT being told simply to give me someone to blame for my plight!  It tells me what went wrong to put me in this situation - and can perhaps serve as a signpost for me as to what I would do best to avoid.  Yes, Adam and Eve ate of that tree, but do I have to continue to do so?  How and when do I do so?  Do I want to continue this practice when I've been told so clearly that it leads to death?

It seems to me that in the spiritual sense, we eat of something when we focus our mind and attention on it - when we try to digest it.  So, how much of my time and energy is spent trying to figure out (to come to know) what is good and what is bad - as the Amplified Bible says, knowledge of "blessing and calamity"?  I notice that in doing so, if our experience is anything like that of Adam and Eve, trying to sort that out separates us from God and makes us want to hide from Him - like a two-year-old hiding from his parents because he knows he's done something that they won't like! 

I'm NOT suggesting that it would be best to just run around doing anything I please because a focus on good versus evil is detrimental.  I think about what Paul said to the Corinthians, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." (1 Corinthians 6:12 KJV)  But I can't help wishing we could still choose to eat from the Tree of Life instead of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  I know that Adam and Eve's access to that tree was blocked, but as I think about it, I realize I DO still have access to that Tree of Life!  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life"! (John 14:6, emphasis mine)

It strikes me that I DO have a choice, and that is what all the verses about praising God in all circumstances are all about.  Instead of spending my time and energy worrying about what is good and what is bad about my life and whether or not I've made right choices, I can simply seek God's will, trust that when I ask Him for fish he won't give me a snake (Luke 11:11), and TRUST that it is ALL GOOD!  (Romans 8:28, Phil 4:4, I Thes 5:18, etc.)

So many verses come to mind:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24 KJV)

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36 KJV)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life." (John 6:47-48 KJV)

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51 KJV)

I think of my experiences of the last several months as I have actively sought spiritual daily bread from my Father, and have actively sought His will for my life. Life has been AMAZING!  I think a "parable" can perhaps better illustrate the difference. 

Two different women are taking a trip through a foreign country. 

Jackie has spent months planning for this, her dream trip. She thought about taking a guided tour, but decided against it because she knew the guide's agenda could be quite different than her own and she didn't want to be tied to His schedule.  She wanted to be free to do whatever struck her fancy.   She's tried to make sure every detail has been handled.  What will she do if her passport or money is lost or stolen?  What can she do to protect herself?  What if she gets sick?  What medicines should she have with her?  How can she make sure she finds her way to the destinations she has chosen?  And what are the best destinations anyway?  She sure doesn't want to miss out on anything important!  What clothes should she take?  All these decisions seem almost overwhelming, and three months is SUCH a short time to sort it all out! 

For Patricia, the idea to travel came out of the blue.  She has very contentedly been enjoying her life, when suddenly a travel brochure came her way and something inside said, "Why don't you go?"  The brochure was for a guided tour and it sounded so fun!  All those places to experience, and the guide sounded so knowledgeable!  She decided to sign up.  It was about 3 months before the trip and before she knew it she was receiving periodic mailings from the tour guide, suggesting what she needed to do to prepare for the trip.  Each mailing had a few specific things to do that didn't take long, but helped her feel better prepared and increased her joy about the upcoming travel opportunity.  The night before her trip, her bags are packed and she feels so joyfully serene.  She KNOWS it is going to be a great trip!  She sets her alarm, knowing it is probably not needed.  Her experience is that she naturally awakens when the time is right.

The night before Jackie is to leave, she can't sleep.  She keeps going over her lists in her mind.  Has she forgotten anything?  Did she set her alarm clock? It sure wouldn't do to miss her flight!  What if she sleeps through her alarm? Next morning, after a harrowing drive through heavy traffic, Jackie arrives at the airport and parks in the long-term lot.  She should have had plenty of time, but she took a detour when she saw how heavy traffic was, and it turned out to be even worse!  As she starts to unload in the long-term lot, she starts thinking about her car. She sure hopes it will be okay here!  What if someone breaks into it while she's gone?  Struggling with her luggage she heads to the shuttle bus stop and continues her inner dialogue.  Will the shuttle bus get her to the airport check-in in time? How will she manage with all her luggage? Once she gets there, how will she know where to go to deal with her luggage and board her flight?  After arriving at the airport and checking in, Jackie anxiously waits through the long security line hoping and praying that everything goes okay and she makes her flight. 

On the morning of her flight, Patricia awakens in plenty of time feeling well rested and eager to start her journey.  Her guide had suggested that she arrange for a shuttle to the airport, and it arrives right on time.  The driver helps her with her luggage and Patricia settles back to enjoy the scenery as they head to the airport.  What a LOVELY day!  The sun is just beginning its climb into the sky, the birds are singing praises, and Patricia joins them as she silently gives thanks for the opportunities in store for her.  They arrive at the airport in plenty of time.  The shuttle driver helps her with her luggage. She meets up with her tour group and the tour guide takes them all to check-in and then through security to board their flight.

Jackie makes it to the gate just in time to board the flight.  She quickly boards the plane and starts worrying about the flight itself.  What if something happens to the flight?  How can she be prepared for an emergency on board the airplane?  If the plane has a problem in mid-flight, what will she do?  And what about her destination?  Will she be able to find the taxi okay?  Will her lodging be what she expects?  What if she gets a bad taxi driver - one that tries to take advantage of a woman traveling alone? What if, what if. . . . ?

Patricia introduces herself to another woman in the tour group and the two have a great time of getting acquainted while waiting to board their flight.  People are all so friendly and helpful!  She once again silently gives thanks for the opportunities coming her way.

You get the idea. Patricia continues to have a wonderful time, in spite of lost luggage that took a couple of days to catch up with her. It's all one great big adventure and she enjoys every minute of it. Her tour guide and new friends on the tour helped her get by until her luggage arrived and she was able to simply relax and enjoy the journey as it unfolded.  When her trip was over and she arrived back home, she had plenty of lovely memories and was ready to step into the next adventures coming her way right in her own home town.  Jackie, on the other hand, continued to worry her way through her travels.  Whenever one hurdle was overcome, another presented itself, and she never really had time to relax and take in the wonders around her.  She arrived back home after her trip feeling more in need of a vacation than she was when she left

I've lived both ways, and I must say that I am finding Patricia's way SO much more enjoyable!  When I pray for God's will to be done in my life, and honestly seek His guidance, He gives me what I ask for!  He serves as my tour guide and I can relax and let Him handle all the details!  This, I think is what it means to eat of the Bread of Life instead of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  And I've had some very specific experiences of this in the last few months.  It's been amazing to me the way all the details of my life work out when I relax and let Him take charge!  I never knew things could be so easy!  It's not easy to break the worry habit, but it is SO worth it!  Living life with a joyful song in my heart, instead of the continual inner monologue about whether or not things are going as they should - what an amazing thing!  This is the way I want to learn to live ALL of my life!

Getting back to my thoughts about healthful living, it seems pretty clear which way of life would be more healthful. Science has given us much information about the dangers of stress and how it is such a big factor in so many serious diseases.  In fact, that very word, "disease" tells us something.  Disease comes from "dis - ease" - not being at ease, or being under stress.  What if what Jesus said is really true?  What if it is all the stress that comes from the way we approach life, our worrying about good and evil, that is what really causes our health issues - rather than our diet?  Perhaps tossing the stress-filled life for a joy-filled one with God as our guide is the true boost that we need for our immune system?!

Father, thank you for your willingness to be my guide in this journey called life!  Thank you for the experiences you are giving me that help me to understand how much better life is as I seek to digest your guidance to me rather than worrying about trying to discern between good and evil myself.  Thank you for the wonderful opportunities you are bringing my way!  Please keep my heart and mind focused on you, and make your will clear to me today.  Please continue your work in me to both WILL and to DO of your good pleasure.  May your will be done in the earth of my heart and life this day is my prayer.  Thank you, Father!