DAY THIRTY-EIGHT - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE PEOPLE
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
Genesis 2: 8
Reading: John 14: 2
Throughout #bigpictureinayear we have discussed the fact that Earth was built as a home for mankind. Creation was intended to give God glory, to show how powerful and beautiful He is – but who was it that was supposed to see this kavod, this glory?
The people for whom He had done all this.
Adam and Eve were supposed to look around and learn about their Heavenly Creator through the incomprehensible magnitude of what they saw, the unfathomably minute accuracy and wisdom displayed in every part of the Earth.
But more than that, they were supposed to see home.
All that God has already created was given to this man and this woman, Adam and Eve, and to all whom they would produce through their union. “When God presented the man and the woman with the world He had created," says Tim Gallant, "he was giving them the keys to their home.”
What a perfect and beautiful home God made for the man and the woman – but it was more than just a home for them; it was a home that He intended to share with them.
When Adam and Eve awakened at their creation, God was at home with them. He was their Father and they fellowshipped and communed with Him. The picture is familial. Just as a human child never knows a time when Mom and Dad have not been there, so it was for Adam and Eve. It was a magical life. God Himself walked with them, advised them and enjoyed sweet fellowship with them.
One of the major themes of the Bible, if not THE major theme of the Bible, is that God always intended to live with His people. This is very evident from not only the Eden story but is seen throughout the Biblical narrative. Since the Fall, Yahweh-Elohim has been working out His plan to once again live with His people.
I want to say it again, that early picture of Eden, was a picture of a family at home. And when you are once again fully reconciled with God at the end of the age, you will know yourself to be at home, in your family, with your Heavenly Father.
Prayer
Lord God, today I want to express my profound gratitude for this beautiful home You made for me.
For the family
Explain
What does home mean to you? Have a discussion with your children about that. What do they like best? How would they like to change it? How does it feel to come home after a difficult day out in the world? Explain today’s devotional in an age-appropriate way. Tell them that in our culture, when a child turns 21, they are given a symbolic key. This is very much what happened in the beginning.
Engage
If you have time, prepare an age-appropriate craft for the children. Access some ideas below.
