We are all built the same in many ways. Since we were small children, we always wanted the thing that our parents, or others in authority, told us that we couldn’t have. As we walked through a store, we wanted something that our parents had already said no to. We wanted the toy that somebody else was playing with. We wanted to do what our parents told us not to. And we are still like that in adulthood. We want what is forbidden for us.
Genesis 2:16-17 says, “But the Lord God gave him this warning: ‘You may freely eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die.'” God had prepared a lush garden with all the enjoyments that Adam and Eve could want. They could eat any fruit as often as they liked. But He forbid them from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was not being overbearing or mean in this restriction, but rather He was protecting them from dire consequences, that is, death.
Freedom comes to us when we trust in God’s authority. He is worthy of this trust as He has all knowledge and wisdom. In His wisdom, He can protect us from the consequences of poor choices. In His goodness and love, He wants to give us the best while keeping us from trouble. In His mercy, He makes a way for us to enjoy the best that He has to offer. Failure to trust in God’s authority leads us down an often terrifying path. Choose the path of trust in God’s authority.
Reluctant Retiree 