It was through a tree in the Garden of Eden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil — the only tree that God forbade Adam and Eve to eat of — that Satan tempted the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, to disobey God by eating of its delicious-looking fruit.
"But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
for when you eat of it you will surely die."
Genesis 2:17
Although the tree reminds us of that woeful day when sin entered the world and of the moment when Adam and Eve gave into temptation and ate the forbidden fruit, it also reminds us of the wooden cross, made from a tree, on which Jesus hung and died for the atonement of the sins committed by Adam and Eve and the sins of all mankind that followed.
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by His wounds you have been healed."
1 Peter 2:24
The Christmas tree emblematizes the new life that a man or woman receives when they accept God's gracious gift of salvation, which is the forgiveness of sin through God's Son, Jesus Christ.
This Christmas, whenever you gaze upon a Christmas tree and take in its beautiful lights and colours, remind yourself of the promise-filled life you now have because a baby was born in a manger so many years ago.
Christmas can be a difficult time for many people because of the loss it brings to mind: the death of a beloved family member, a divorce that split the family apart, a debilitating illness that robbed of health and vitality, a lost job or lack of money that caused financial stress, a drug or alcohol addiction within the family, or a series of painful childhood memories of empty Christmas' long ago. But if we stay focused on Jesus and the true understanding of what Christmas means, we will find God's love, joy, and peace. There is no circumstance in life that can rob us of these precious gifts from our Heavenly Father.
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