By Jeff Faull
Where is the Garden of Eden? Not the actual geographical description. You can read that in Genesis 2. Where is the garden now? What happened to it? Last we knew, it was in Genesis 3. Remember?
Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:23, 24, New American Standard Bible).
Where did the garden go? Does it still exist? Was it destroyed in the flood? Where is it now?
Dr. Carlisle Marney always said that his Garden of Eden was at 215 Elm Street in Knoxville, Tennessee. He had stolen money from his mother”s purse, bought some candy, and ate it. He was so ashamed he came back home and hid in the closet till she found him and said, “Why are you hiding? What have you done?” In other words, he remembers the exact place he first consciously rebelled against God and disobeyed his will.
For me it was 301 Redpath Avenue in Michigan City, Indiana. That is where I first remember consciously choosing to ignore God”s instruction. Where was it for you? Can you remember the first time you intentionally failed to do what God asked? Can you point to the Garden Moment in your life?
But more importantly, do you know where God forgave your sin? On a hill called Golgotha, after his agonizing prayer in another garden called Gethsemane, Jesus poured out his life for us.
His sacrifice made the restoration of all that we lost in Eden, and even more, possible. Today we remember and we partake with understanding and gratitude for God”s incredible provision and grace.
Jeff Faull serves as minister with Mount Gilead Church, Mooresville, Indiana, and also as a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor.
0 Comments