Crystal Writes A Blog

🎵A Very Big Tree

I’m keeping this shorter tonight.

I was thinking about the conversation Eve had with the serpent in the garden. Here’s the beginning of it from Genesis 3:1:

Genesis 3:1 KJV
[1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 

https://bible.com/bible/1/gen.3.1.KJV

Do you see the anxiety-inducing, manipulative question in that statement? “…Ye shall not eat of EVERY tree of the garden?” (My emphasis here.) In many translations, the word “every” is replaced by “any” which still shows the manipulation, but I think every reveals the hidden agenda a little better. Basically, the enemy made ONE tree bigger than ALL the trees of the garden. One tree that God forbade to protect their innocence became more desirable than who knows how many others with wonderful and sweet fruit available to them 24/7.

That manipulation still goes on today, and sometimes even using words from The Holy Bible. Someone will use the word “slave” as an excuse to avoid God and His words, even though far more of them are filled with mercy and grace. A Christian battling with performance or perfection issues will find a verse like “Be ye perfect” larger than “My grace is sufficient.”

So, I just want to remind you today that the garden was bigger than one tree. And God’s plans for salvation are bigger than any man-made set of do’s and don’ts that demand our adherence to earn God’s love. When you encounter anxiety from the written word, ask God to show you through His Holy Spirit how to understand it and correctly apply it to your own life. It will be His pleasure to let you know because it’s His desire for you to spend your eternity with Him.

2 Peter 3:9 BSB
[9] The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

https://bible.com/bible/3034/2pe.3.9.BSB

And if you travel while on this Earth and if those travels take you out Arizona way like they did me in May of 2010, stop and see the World’s Largest Rose Tree and museum in Tombstone, Arizona. I wish my pictures were better at showing how magnificent it is, but the images and video on the website should.

And now, since we’re talking about roses, sing along with this beautiful bluegrass version of “Where the Roses Never Fade.”

June 11, 2026 Posted by Crystal A Murray (aka CrystalWriter) | Bible, Bible Study, Christianity, Collaged, Grace and Mercy (In Scripture and In Life), Nonfiction, Photo Studio Pro app, Photography, salvation, Slice of Life, Travel & Destinations, Walking With The Lord, Word Nerd with a Bible | Bible, Eve, Garden of Eden, mercy and grace, Photography, salvation, serpent, Tombstone Arizona, tree of knowledge, world's largest rose tree | Leave a comment