Eden's gift

In Eden, when Adam and Eve choose to be independent something terrible happened. God cursed creation. Eve would long, Adam would work, the earth would fight back and things would never be the same. Sickness, disease and death were downloaded into the operating system by our choosing.

Yet something wonderful happened too. I consider if God saw that this shift in design afforded He and man the opportunity for a level of relationship previously unavailable.

I believe we now have a glimpse of God’s experience and therefore His heart. He had already been betrayed by His most beautiful angel, (resulting in a war), when He created our world. Surly this hurt.

I think about the betrayals in my life, the wounds and hurt delivered unto me since childhood, and the heaviness of their impact.

I think about everybody’s desire to be found worthy of love and actually chosen.

If we are created in His image, why would these experiences and their impact on our heart be exempt from the realm of glory?

These experiences and the heaviness of darkness are what our God deals with too. The tears we cry are the tears He too sheds.

Someday I believe things will be ‘put right’. We will get the kingdom fully back. But until that time what a wonderful opportunity we have to give God a hug and say, “I understand, I feel your hurt, and I love you, everything is going to be ok because you are good and trustworthy, and I trust you.” And perhaps He will return our hug and say, “Thank you, I hoped you would understand, and I’m glad I have you at my side in these hard times.”

Prior to the fall we could not have understood this aspect of His heart.

I believe; if we were created for his companionship and to be in relationship with Him, if we are to be more than an object for His amusement and are to truly know His heart, then we must share His experience.

So I thank God for Eden. Yes it’s hard, so very hard, but I wouldn’t trade it if it affords me a true, bi-directional friendship with my God.