Paradise Lost
Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:1-11, 22-24
The Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
As I write, the news is filled with stories of hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires. In addition to their destructive impacts on nature, disasters like these have long-term effects on the many people whose homes and towns they destroy. If we lose our home, we lose not only a place to live but also a sense of security and belonging.
Our first human home was lost because of the fall into sin. The devil tempted Adam and Eve with the false promise that they could decide better for themselves and did not need to listen to God. But that was a lie, and our first parents’ fall into sin brought judgment and death for us all. As a result, humanity is now homeless, and we cannot make our own way back to the security of God’s presence.
We still struggle under the effects of sin today. In this world we are cut off from God, and even our best human efforts fall short of repairing broken relationships or creating the paradise we long for.
But God is not finished with us. God graciously provides for us so that we are able to survive away from home. And he asks still, “Where are you?” giving us an opportunity to recognize our homelessness and to follow the path to return home through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Loving God, we long for a place of security and belonging with you. Provide for everyone who needs an earthly home, and restore us all to your presence in Christ, we pray. Amen.
About the author — Joel Vande Werken
Joel Vande Werken has been a pastor since 2007, serving churches in Sussex, New Jersey, and in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. He and his wife, Brandie, have five young children.
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