Holy CPR & Perfect Placement

I've been reading "In the beginning…" again. I'm obsessed with the first few chapters of Genesis and the last two in Revelation. I read them almost every week. Like the rest of the Bible, I believe they contain secret nuggets of special wisdom buried for discovery. Answers regarding the beginning of life and our serene, future eternal home.

Today, a fresh nugget of revelation emerged. But first let me point out a previous epiphany.

Starting at the beginning, the Creator formed everything in six days. And it was all good. But at the end of the sixth day, which is the day He created man and woman, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Gen 1:31.

Genesis 2:7 explains that God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and then performed Holy CPR by breathing the breath of life into his nostrils. Man is the only living creature that He breathed into existence, everything else He spoke into being. ("And God said, 'Let there be…'" Gen 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, and 26.)

I believe this "breath of life" from our Maker is the fated bond between us and Him. We are His prize creation—the one piece of creation that He gifted with His breath and designed in His image. This unique connection destines us to pursue spiritual understanding of our beginning and the purpose of our existence. Like searching for the missing link in our spiritual chain. And no one or anything will ever be able to satisfy that pursuit except Him. To put it plainly, we've been created to crave union or connection with Him.

Here's my latest discovery. I always assumed that God formed man from the dust of the ground from inside the Garden of Eden. You know, the soil was from Eden specifically.

Remember Genesis 2:7 tells of God creating Adam. And then verse 8 reads,

"Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden: and there he put the man he had formed."

So the Master Gardener had planted a special garden, made man, and then put him in the garden. Verse 15 reiterates, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."

He purposefully placed him. Where? In a garden planted with all kind of trees growing out of the ground- pleasing to the eye and good for food (vs. 9) and with a river watering the garden (vs. 10).

I believe the Creator is partial to gardens because He placed His prize creation safely inside one and then gave the man an assignment, "to work it and take care of it."

Sort of like us.

He's placed us in our LIFE Garden. And like Adam and Eve, we have a choice how to work and live it. Everyone knows the choices they made and how their story unfolds. That's another post for another day. But today, I'm reminded again how important it is to choose wisely as I care for my LIFE garden.

One more nugget from Revelation 21 and 22.

Did you know the Holy City where we will dwell with God has the river of the water of life—clear as crystal—flowing from His throne? And the Tree of Life stands on each side of that river bearing its fruit? A river, a tree, a new dwelling place with my Creator. And perfect union forever. Sounds like heaven to me.   

How about you? What are your favorite chapters of the Bible? What's your latest epiphany or newest nugget of truth? Please share.

Tammy Van Gils is a writer, blogger, and co-owner of S & N Paint Contractors, Inc. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers International. In the Richmond area, she is a member of The Christian Writers Hub and Word Weavers Richmond. Visit her Facebook Page, Pinterest and Twitter @Tammyvangils.