St Peter’s Anglican Church

December 2

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Genesis 2:15-17, NIV

The Fruit of the Tree

"Are you sure that God said, No?
Aren't you grown-up enough to
make your own decisions?
One little taste won't hurt;
besides you might like it."

Then suddently we know
only too well,
and begin to make excuses -
"It's not my fault..."
"I didn't mean it..."
"I couldn't help it..."
"The temptation was too great..."

The old, old story makes it clear
God never wanted us to know both good and evil.
In the heart of the garden stood another tree.
The Tree of Life is Christ Himself. O taste and see!

Jean Donovan

Source
Colman Readings - 2 December
Illustrations by Francesca Ross
Northumbria Community’s Celtic Daily Prayer, Book 2
Collins, 1371.