Day 10: Made for Relationship

Read: Genesis 2:8-14

Yesterday, we saw how uniquely humans were formed. The Creator of the world doesn’t merely speak us into existence, which is all we were told of the other day. Instead He stooped down into the earth, and formed us like a potter. He then exhaled life into us. Crazy right! But why are we so special? 

At first glance, verses 8-14 can seem to be just a dull geography of the garden. But a closer look at the text shows us that the author isn’t really trying to tell us about where Eden was locally, rather he was explaining to us where Eden was situated spiritually. 

After God created man, He placed him in a garden. This was a key point, man was made outside of the garden and then placed in it. While most translations read that God put them in the Garden of Eden, a more accurate rendering of the phases is that God put them in a garden in Eden. This gives a whole new illumination to what exactly this garden was, and its significance. 

This garden that God planted and put man into was within Eden (which simply means delight), which is situated in the larger world that was created. This garden was the place where we see God walking in the cool of the day, and communing with man. This garden was also full of magical trees that sustained and provided for man completely. 

At the center of this garden was the Tree of Life. It seemed that this garden was the place where heaven and earth met, a sort of temple where God and man could have full communion. If you study closely the layout of this newly created world you will find striking similarities to temples of ancient times. The design was centered around this special place.

Now, remember man was formed outside the garden, but God intentionally placed him within it. This made it crystal clear that man was made to be in close proximity with God. We were placed by God into the direct presence of God. We were made for relationship with Him!!

Do you ever feel like God doesn’t want a relationship with you? Maybe it’s His silence. Maybe you just feel with all your brokenness you are a burden to Him. This passage destroys those lies! We were made by God, for relationship with Him. Sneak away today and do something relational with God. Take a cue from Genesis and take a walk during golden hour and just talk with Him!