God planted a garden in Eden…
with all
kinds of trees—
Trees
that were pleasing to the eye,
and good for food (Genesis 2:8-9).
The first thing to be said about the “all kinds of trees” that God planted in the Garden is that they were beautiful to look upon. That was before the man was even placed in the garden to look upon them. God, of Himself, has an eye for beauty before we even show up.
The second thing to be said about these trees God planted in the Garden is that they were also “good for food.” John Calvin, the remarkable 16th century theologian of the Reformation, speaks to us about how God created the world more beautiful than necessary. There was no need to make fruit trees beautiful. What His creatures need from the trees is food. But, out of his freedom, God decided to make these necessary trees beautiful— “pleasing to look upon.”
All God’s creatures need food. It
is for us humans, who alone bear the image of God, to notice like God notices, how
the trees that provide us with our necessary food are also “pleasing to the
eye.” That is something to celebrate
this Thanksgiving Day.
