Did you know that Genesis mentions TWO trees in Eden? The tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. The only tree God told Adam and Eve not to eat from was the tree of knowledge. The implication is that they could eat from the tree of life all they wanted.
 
When God discovers their sin of disobedience, He says to Himself ..."The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." Genesis 3:22. Can you imagine having to live forever in this mortal, sinful body? As my good friend Bubba points out, God banished them so they wouldn't have to live forever in their depraved state. In other words, the only way to save them was to banish them from Eden. Wow. I always thought they were kicked out as punishment, but he did it for their own good. That's crazy.
 
A few years ago, I heard Andrew Shearman talk about the trees. His point was that man is still doing the same thing he did in the Garden: we're still going to the tree of knowledge when we should be going to the tree of LIFE! (That's how he says it - with an English accent.)
 
I know that I had heard about two trees, but for me, there was really only one tree: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life was just the part of the verse I skimmed over. Lately, God has been showing me how I still do this. I want to KNOW: Why is this happening? What does my future hold? Why am I like this? What should I do? How will it work?
 
Yes, I know we're supposed to study and know the Word: "Study to show yourself approved unto God", "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you", but my knowledge will not save me. Only Jesus, the giver of life can do that. My knowledge keeps me worried and wondering about the future. Focusing on Jesus causes me to focus on the now. Jesus is Life, he created it and all life exists because of Him and in Him. I don't want to go to the tree of knowledge, I want to go to the tree of LIFE! I want to live this life that God has given me with my eyes focused on him, not on me.