God made a perfect garden and in it placed a tree,
And on it hung a fruit as perfumed as fruit can be.
To man and woman both He gave the liberty to choose,
But bade them not to eat the fruit or Paradise they'd lose.
A snake deceived the couple into eating from the tree,
Which opened up their eyes so that God's purpose they could see.
So, since they'd chosen evil, God's command had disobeyed,
They were cast out, they fell from grace; a deadly price they paid.
But because He loved all that He'd made and saw that it was good,
God made a vow, He gave his Word, made a promise that he would
Forgive the sin, wash off the guilt of each successive generation -
Each child, each man, each woman in His terrestrial creation.
So, in another garden, among some olive trees,
A man in anguish prayed to Heaven down on his bended knees:
"Take from my lips this bitter cup", to His Father prayed the Son,
"And yet, I will obey you - not my will, but yours be done."
On a naked, barren, godless hill, upon a leafless tree,
There hung a fruit, the fruit of love, to save humanity.
The Son obeyed, poured out His blood, the perfect sacrifice,
Through which we're cleansed, forgiven and can inherit Paradise.
The Father's love would not allow that we should die in sin,
He offered up His only Son, a paschal offering,
Who, through that loving, giving, selfless act, made once for all,
Gave up His life, that we might live, reversing evil's thrall.
Robert Whiting
Newbury, 11 November 2002