And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. Genesis 1:11-13

8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:8-9

The Bible is (almost) literally bookended by the Tree of Life, from Genesis 2, and again in Revelation 21-22. 

Life is so basic to who we are, that we may just ignore it, or take it for granted. We come into this world, alive. And as long as we remain in this world we remain alive. What lies beyond? 

Christians have a hope of eternal life, something beyond what we know now. But, eternal life does not negate our ordinary experience. After all, God is our Creator. And looking at us when the first human beings were created, he called us very good. 

Yes, sin has irretrievable damaged our nature, and brought death into the world. Yes, we have suffering and strife in a world that was created for well-being and peace. But something of who we were meant to be remains. 

Let’s think again about the marvel of trees. Last week we focussed on their amazing ability to link earth and wind, sun and water. We see how closely they interact with birds and animals, as shelter or food. Even when they die, trees enrich their habitats, and literally become the ground of new life. 

People are the apex of creation. Unique among all creatures, inanimate or alive, we can reflect, we can remember across generations, we can choose life or death. We too, like all of God’s creation are bookended by the tree of life. God breathes into us, and makes us in his image and likeness, so that we can share his divine life in eternity. 

We will take time over the next few weeks to reflect on how the story turns. But for now, as we take the first step, perhaps we can begin with gratitude. Life itself, and how much more the new life in Christ, is a gift. A grateful heart gives us the right perspective no matter whether things are good or bad. Even at our lowest moments, gratitude is a spiritual uplifting. 

Let us recall our origin, in the Creation marked by the tree of life, and our destiny, our God-given birth right, where the same tree will welcome us into our eternal him.