A Place of Utter Delight

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. . . . Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. —Genesis 1:31; 2:8, NIV

Have you ever asked for clarification at the close of your morning’s meditation and paused to allow the Spirit to summarize your time together? What single thought have you taken with you into a new day? One day I found myself wondering about the Garden of Eden, specifically, Why did God find it necessary to add this special garden in the east? “Although everything God had made was in the perfection of beauty, and there seemed nothing wanting upon the earth which God had created to make Adam and Eve happy, yet he manifested his great love to them by planting a garden especially for them. . . . This beautiful garden was to be their home, their special residence.”* As I sat pondering this insight into the Creation story, the Holy Spirit spoke. “My child, because of My great love for you, I prepared this beautiful spot for you. The woods, the fields, the lawns, the animals, and the birds, even the waterfall and the fish, are all for your enjoyment. “Before you were born, I saw you here: excited at the sight of the deer; silent at the song of the birds; laughing at the frenzy of the goldfish; delighted with the flowers, especially the dandelions in the spring; awed by the giant elm, the tasseling corn, the wide-open skies. “I saw also your heartaches, your frequent tears, your loneliness, and your hurt; how you found strength in being alone in your cathedral. Child, I planned this for the happiness I knew you would find spending time in My creation. Wherever you may travel, there is truly no place like home—this special place I have prepared for you. Other places have their uniqueness, their beauty, despite the many reminders of the horrors of sin—the jagged mountains, the deep canyons, the steamy jungles, the frozen polar caps. But for you, a garden.” My takeaway for today: Father, thank You. I truly have no desire to be or go anywhere else! Really.

Truly. Thanks. How about you, my sister in Christ? What will be your takeaway from the time you spend with your Lord this morning? And how will you respond?

Sharon Okimi

* Ellen G. White, “The Great Controversy: Chapter Two; The Creation,” Signs of the Times, January 9, 1879, 2.