A Tale of 3 Gardens

"Uhhmmm... That looks gooood," she thinks, as she stands in the midst of the Garden.

She stares at it longingly with a glazed look in her eye. Her pulse races as she reaches up a trembling hand and touches it. Eyes darting from side to side - She's unobserved.

Her heart is hammering now as she pulls on it until it separates from the branch.

She's done it!

Mouth watering as she looks at it and just for the most flickering of moments there's a sadness that washes through her soul. "Can't worry about that now, this is what I've been dreaming about ever since that first suggestion," the thought caresses her conscience and lulls it to sleep.

"He's not far away; I think I'll share this with him.

"Oh, there he is." She hurries to him.

"Look honey!" She bites into it, juice dripping down her hand as her eyes widen with wild delight and frightening realization.

"NOOO! What have you done?" He screams at her. "Are you insane? Don't you know what'll happen to you?"

He's faced with a dilemma.

"She'll be destroyed," he thinks to himself. "I've got to do something! OH GOD! How could I let this happen?

It's my fault."

"I know what I have to do." Desperately he thinks, "I'll eat it too, I know HE won't destroy the both of us! HE'LL have to save us."

He takes it from her outstretched hand and bites into terror and pleasure all at once!

It's silent in the Garden now. Stillness makes her home there and Death is a permanent guest.

Omniscient, HE knows exactly what's taken place. HE walks in the Garden just like before, but they don't come running, no smiling faces... Silence.

HE calls them, they come kneeling, trembling, undone. "What did you do," HE demands of him.

"I'm sorry, I knew it was wrong, but it's the One that YOU gave me, I did it for HER!"

"Uhhhhhhh... This pain is unbearable," He thinks, as He kneels in the midst of the Garden!

He's alone, His mind races forward to the ordeal ahead. He understands the purpose and knows it MUST be done.

He sees the whip, the nails and the tree. Beholds the blood, the sweat and tears. He hears the cursing, taunting, threats. Misery weighs heavy on His soul.

He goes to where His friends are for some support, some strength, something. Nothing... They're asleep.

He returns, kneels, bows, "OH GOD... PLEASE LET THIS PASS!!!" HE bleeds a prayer to God.

But then remembers the state She's in. "SHE NEEDS ME, needs a Savior. Only I can do this."

"Nevertheless, as YOU will, Father," He breathes a prayer to God.

He surrenders, "I'll do it for HER!"

"Ohhhhhhh..." Where have they taken You, My Lord," she wonders, as she stands in the midst of the Garden.

Heart aching with love for her Lord who was and is not, no longer a comforting touch, a smile or word in due season.

"Why did You leave, why did You have to go away?" She sobs.

She goes and tells them. They run and come to see. He's not there! "Where is He?" They leave wondering. She stays and looks and sees... Angels!

Then, He who was hidden appears. "Why do you cry?" His words are soft and scented. She pleads with him, "Where is He, where have you taken Him?"

"Mary," says He, and she knows.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the light of revelation dawns within and she begins to understand everything.

"He left for me that's the reason why

He did it all for me, that's why He died

Every drop of blood, every lash of pain

Was felt for me so that I could gain

What I lost in the Garden that fateful morn'

My joy, my peace, my life all gone

When I did what I did and my eyes did see

My fallen state and what became of me

How I hurt Him so, you've got to know

That's why we reap the things we sow

But He's kept His promise for all to see

The Seed of the woman brings victory!

So, from now on and through eternity

I'll thank God for what He did for me.

"He did it all for me!"