A garden in your heart

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Psalm 16 :11

Have you ever wondered why God, our Creator, at the origin of creation, placed Adam and Eve in a garden called Eden?

What were His plans, His desires, and above all, why a garden? After all, He could very well have chosen a temple or a palace … but no, our Father wanted to put us in a space unique in the world: a garden. And why? Biblically, the garden symbolizes intimacy, a place of harmony with God, a haven of peace, a place where heaven and earth blend and become one. What’s more, the word Eden means “pleasure, delight”. With all this information gathered, we come to depict God’s original plan for human beings: to live in perfect communion with Him and take pleasure in this loving relationship.

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Psalm 16 :11

Did you know that God wants you to experience pleasure? Obviously, the pleasure referred to here is not carnal pleasure, which has its source in sin and the Fall. The Holy Scriptures are very clear on this subject, commanding us to crucify our desires of the flesh by the Spirit. Nevertheless, we’re talking here about the delights of God’s presence. For in the presence of Jesus, there is joy, peace, life and happiness. It is by being with and in Him that our soul finds total satisfaction. Heaven is only heavenly because Christ dwells there. Better one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere…

Brother Laurent of the Resurrection summed it up perfectly in his masterpiece “The Practice of the Presence of God”. Regarding the privilege of experiencing the presence of Christ, here’s what he wrote: “Pain and suffering would be paradise for me if I could suffer with my God. The greatest pleasures would be hell if I savored them without Him.”

Unfortunately, when we sinned and death entered the cycle of humanity, this unity with God was torn apart. The stain of sin blinded the eyes of our intelligence and our heart for God’s presence was numbed. Thankfully, Jesus came to restore us by dying on the cross. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene near His tomb. The Bible tells us that, at first sight, Mary did not recognize Jesus and mistook Him for a simple “gardener” (see John 20:11-18).

“The Garden of Eden is now in the heart of every believer, because in the heart of every believer, Jesus Christ dwells!” 

This passage may seem trivial and naive, but in reality it reveals the omnipotence of redemption. Indeed, it all began in a garden, and it was through a living tree – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – that Adam and Eve sinned and consequently let death enter the world. However, Christ brought us back to life by being crucified on a dead tree – the cross. Thus, Jesus the “gardener” restored us to a state of harmony with Him. Eden will no longer be a geographical place near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; the Garden of Eden is now to be found in the heart of every believer, for in the heart of every believer, Jesus Christ dwells by the Spirit!

My dear friends, I believe with all my heart that God wants to rekindle our fire of first love. He wants us to take pleasure in His presence. What if we made it our life’s goal to care for our inner garden – cost what it costs? Let’s cultivate a relationship with Jesus, loving Him for who He is and what He does. In His presence, the delights are eternal. Bless you all.