The First Home

 

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, hand the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:5-9 ESV).

 

Many of you know that Mary and I consider the Smoky Mountains our “home away from home.” We travel there as often as possible, though not nearly enough for us. This time of the year spring has begun to color the Smokies with flowers of all types. Principally, the rhododendron are the main attraction as they decorated the mountains with their vibrant color (see picture attached). We’ve been able to see the bloom several times and pictures simply don’t convey the beauty of the mountains at this time of the year.

 

Looking into the Scripture at the beginning, I can only imagine what Eden was like for the first couple in what was their first home. It truly was a paradise. The garden God had created provided everything needed for human flourishing. Even work in the garden was fulfilling and comfortable. The Bible pictures God’s extravagant care as a free gift of grace for his creatures. From this beginning, we are able to get a sense of what made it so delightful to Adam and Eve.

 

The one essential element of their sense of home was contentment, they had the ability to rest in God’s care for them. As we know well, humans find it difficult to be content. We prefer instead to make our own way, to find a place where we can follow our own desires. And we forever run away from the perfect home with God. Ever since the first couple was cast out of the garden, we have been spiritually thirsty, longing for those rivers overflowing with God’s created goodness. Only in his Son, Jesus, does God offer a return to contentment. This is what God restores when we reach our heavenly home! The journey will be worth it! Trust Him!