Have you ever considered how beautiful and peaceful the Garden of Eden must have been before the fall of Adam and Eve? The first garden was planted by God. There were no weeds and the soil was rich, full of all the nutrients needed for proper growth. “A river went out of ‘Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four streams.” (Genesis 2:10) It was not a chore to tend the garden. There was no tilling, watering, weed pulling–nothing but harvesting, enjoying, and possibly replanting. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to stumble upon?

But you’d probably have to be stumbling through Iraq which means you’d better watch your steps. Three wars have left the ground scattered with undetonated mines and the once pristine rivers are polluted from multiple oil spills. It is not the kind of place you would expect to find the most beautiful and perfect place on earth, but all of the ugly in Iraq was caused by mankind. 

When Father “placed at the east of the Garden of ‘Eden the kruvim (cherubim) and a flaming sword which turned in every direction,” (Genesis 2:24) I imagine He foresaw what pitiful things His people would do to His precious land. So he protected it and hid it away.

I often hide things either to protect them or to punish someone who is abusing them. I am a great hider of things. I hide things so well that I often can’t find what I hid until a later time. But that is not the case with Father. He may have hidden the garden for the same reasons, but He knows exactly where it is. When the time of the big reveal comes He will not be asking, “Now where did I put that garden?” It has never been out of His sight. He could look over the garden every day with a broken heart for the past, but Father is a God of restoration. I believe when He looks at the garden He sees restored fullness.

“Between the main street and the river was the Tree of Life producing twelve kinds of fruit, a different kind every month, and the leaves of the tree were for healing the nations–no longer will there be any curses.” (Revelation 22:1-3) Father isn’t stuck in the past. He’s waiting in the future, holding the door for you, and guiding you through the darkness to His Eternal Light. Will you follow?