One of the attributes of God we don’t often think about is Life. God is ldfe and the source of all life. He created life as we know it along with the heavens and the earth. Remember the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve dwelt and communed with God? He created a tree of life within the garden. Genesis 2:9 “And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Adam and Eve were instructed by God concerning these trees:  Genesis 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of good and evil they were banished from the garden so that they could not eat from the tree of life and then be condemned to live forever in their sinful state. God mercifully protected them as He had a plan for their return to Him.

Today we can partake of the tree of life though faith in Jesus, faith in His redeeming work on the cross. John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” God did not want to leave us helpless and lost. His plan of redemption restores us to the life, His life within us. John gives us several other passages that confirm this truth that life now comes through Jesus. John 1:3-4 “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 3:36 “ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 14:6 “ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus provides life and a pathway out of sin described in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Thank you Jesus!!

We can expand our thoughts of life to include each aspect of life and see it comes from Him. The pathways of life are in Him. Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 36:9 “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” David saw this aspect of God’s character and relied upon Him. Psalm 54:4 “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.” David realized that all life comes from God and that God upholds us.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have life in God and with God while still here on earth- in this life He has given me. Praise God for His glorious provision and plan for you and me! I pray that the thought of God as life gives you hope and strength for what you are facing today.

Linda