“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Genesis 3:8).
In its pristine state, creation was at its best. Things were so perfect and well-packaged as God originally had designed and desired. Animals skipped along as Adam and Eve strolled round the Garden of Eden in the cool of the evening, after tending the garden and completing God’s assignments for them each day. They watched as the trees swayed to the gentle motion of the wind, which also brushed and caressed their skin to give a most soothing calmness to the heart. Nothing could compare to this God’s garden which was stuffed and decked up with all the good things of life at no cost!
The young couple would sit at the banks of River Eden whose four tributaries: Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates traversed the neighbourhood and made the vegetation of the garden lush green and fresh all year round. They would listen to the hushed whispers of the water currents, and watch gleefully as the sun casts its yellow hues upon the garden to cause the river to glow in glory. In anticipation, they would wait for the regular heavenly visits from God who delighted in seeing that their days in the Garden was crowned with joy.
As He (GOD) steps into the garden in all His fullness, the trees would rustle, the water currents would flow in celestial rhythm and the golden chirps of birds would fill the garden better than an orchestra in performance. The harmony thickens and grows richer to the point of rhapsody as He approached earth in all His full essence and from the Throne of Glory in heaven. God was on His usual earthly visit to check out on Adam and Eve. He would inquire how their day went and to what extent they had gone in achieving His clearly-defined purposes and destinies for mankind. They would listen to Him in rapt attention as His creative and divine stirred the heart of Adam and his mate,Eve. It was a feeling of oneness with destiny and makes their spirits resonate with the divine rhythm. Their heart would offer soulful worship as they lay prostrate before the “heavenly visitor” and it was a worship that went in tandem with the heavenly choir-“ as it’s in heaven, so it’s on earth!”
After each visit from God, their strength was renewed and they received a new dose of grace and favour to face the challenges of the next day. It was a visit they longed for and cherished. The communion with God, though a short one lingered in their memory and overshadowed their consciousness to the point they needed nothing else in the garden. The beauty of God’s presence dwarfed the aesthetic sights of various species of animals that scampered around the beautiful landscape of the garden. Each day, they longed for this intimate union with Deity and basked in God’s presence . It was the assurance of God’s presence that made Adam and Eve enjoy their daily work in the garden.There were no complaints for they saw their assignments as delightsome and without labour due the tangibility of God’s presence in their lives daily.
Like Adam and Eve, our lives are incomplete and purposeless without the fullness of God’s presence. We ought to treasure it far and above all our aspirations,goals,targets,careers or our loftiest dreams. What we treasure and passionately long for gives a barometric measure of what counts in our lives. How discomforting that many of us waltz through the day, at work, on the streets, at home, and even in church, thinking less of God. We often see Him as far-removed from our daily lives . He is a stranger of sorts and one who is a kill-joy and we thus relegate Him to the outer fringes of our daily lives. We allow the clatter of noise and the chores of life to shut out the voice of our conscience which calls us daily to the place of worship and reverence. We starve our spiritman of that longing for intimacy with God, and seek fulfilment in things that are ephemeral.
As we go about our daily duties let’s not lose our cosciousness of God and His presence. Talk to Him as you punch they keys of that laptop, or as you drive along the way.Tell Him how much you treasure His presence. Offer Him unfeigned and untainted worship from your heart.Refuse to be distracted by the cares and worries of life from the daily expedition into His presence. He’s ever waiting for He loves us beyond measure, inspite of what we’ve done or failed do. He is our father and we should love Him as much as he loves us. Love should be reciprocated and when one-sided is utterly unhealthy and unfulfilling. It’s absolutely unfair for a lover to give all of Himself, without receiving nothing from His beloved…and how unfair, and “unjust” have we been to our Father!
Come let us return to the Lord…today!
Shalom and cheerio,
I am your brother and friend,
Fellyx-Abrahamz Jr.
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