Quiet time reflecting in a garden does a soul wonders. Time as we understand it began in a garden. Without the noise of any news, sitting alone in the midst of living, honest, unadulterated growth gives us a safe space to contemplate where we came from, and where we are going. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:11-12. God spoke and created all things.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15 In the beginning life was perfectly wonderful. There was peace and harmony between man and beast and there was zero pain and death. God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ Genesis 3:3 The Liar appeared as a snake and spun his first deception on earth. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 The woman was led to believe that she may be missing something greater than what she had. Just like Adam and Eve we were all created with free will. The first couple bit the bait and were banished from the garden. Questioning God’s motives or disobeying His orders has severe consequences.

Throughout all recorded history, beautiful gardens have been created around the globe. Life began in a garden and the world as we know it will end when Jesus returns and touches down upon the Mount of Olives. “A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights on a day of battle. On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” Zechariah 14 

“On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name.” Zechariah 14:6-9

This ancient olive tree may have been a tree that the disciples of Jesus slept under. “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed Him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When He rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22: 39-46