Isaiah 51:3
The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins. He will make her deserts like Eden, and her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving, and the sound of singing. You will find my soul in the heart of the forest, the tallest of mountains, the depths of the seas, and directly under the stars. Let’s face it, my friends. Our souls are found and fed in the midst of our chosen Eden.
We were meant to crave perfection, a sense of unity, that never was given to us in full measure. Even then, God continues to enchant us with skies that are delicately and intensely painted; like a masterpiece that had never once lost its magic. And after all this time, creation victoriously bows in awe of what the Savior has done. Even the rawest of souls is wildly awakened as its heartbeat syncs with the rhythm of His. All of Hell surged with the satisfaction of what seemed like a victorious defeat, only to find themselves weighted and bound in shackles, humbled at the feet of the lamb. Oh death, where is your sting? Creation screams our victory! Oh, how ever-present He is within us!
I sometimes find myself too focused on trying to create an Eden of my own to recognize that God is working right before my eyes. Nature never hurries, but yet, accomplishes everything it is intended to accomplish. This is huge! We are missing the biggest piece of who we were created to be. I get it… I understand the craziness of life and the duties it demands. Shouldn’t there be space in our schedules to lay down those demands and find our soul in the heart of creation? In our own Eden? What has happened? We have walked away from the one thing that God craves more than anything; steadfastness in our time of solitude. How could we have missed this?
The Garden of Eden, in its most powerful and perfect form, draws us into a picture of unity and all-consuming beauty. The most captivating part of the story is the abundance of strength this sacred ground holds. Nothing lived for itself. The rivers and seas never needed to drink their own water, the trees never needed to eat their own fruit they produced, and the sun never benefited from its own shining. How could we have missed this? How could we have missed that our souls get lost in the precious, yet powerful stomping grounds of our Savior? Nature is one of our most valuable teachers. Nothing about nature asks for attention, yet we are drawn in.
We are captivated.
In the abundant places of nature, we find our Eden. We find the place in which our hearts belong. These mountains you have been carrying all this time were only meant to be climbed. The shores of loneliness are only meant to help you appreciate His companionship. The waters that you are drowning in are only to lead you to your lifeguard walking on the water. The foggy unknown paths that you are walking through are only to help you appreciate the process of taking one step at a time. Our weary souls need rest. Our weary souls need Eden.
My friends, Eden is right in front of us. Climb a mountain, take a walk in the forest, or lay down in a wildflower field. Whatever your soul is craving, I encourage you to pursue it.
I hope you boldly search for Him and that you find the place in which your soul is most at rest; in the pursuit of your very own Eden.