A couple of Sundays ago, I had the privilege to go to MLCF to share what I felt the Lord was putting on my heart to share with His people. It was great to see some aunties and uncles that I have known since I was 9 years old. As I was seeking the Lord on what to share with them, I felt the Lord say to build on what I spoke earlier at Life-Spring (Remaining in Him) and speak on intimacy with the Father.
The word “intimacy” implies closeness; a close relationship between two people. The Hebrew word “Yada”, means “to know”, but to know someone intimately. Yada speaks of a deep intimacy that God the Father longs to have with His children.
As I was seeking the Lord further on what to speak on with regards to intimacy with the Father, I was brought to the beginning. In the very beginning of time,
“… the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7
In intimacy, God was face to face with man and breathed life into him. God was always our source of life and created us for intimacy with Him.
When man became a living being, God did something significant; He gave the blueprint for mankind to follow.
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
Eden actually represents presence, specifically, the presence of God. “And there [in Eden] he put the man he had formed”, the very first place God placed man was in Eden, in His presence! We were never meant to ever be away from Eden (His presence). It actually says in John 15, if we do not remain in Him, we begin to wither. Outside of Eden (His presence), mankind withers away.
From the beginning of time the serpent (Satan) always knew, if mankind was in Eden (His presence), mankind was unstoppable and the Kingdom of God advances on earth! Outside of Eden, mankind is stoppable, easily deceived. Adam and Eve lost everything when they were removed from Eden. Mankind was forced to live outside Eden (His presence) and it did not go well for us.
It took over 4000 years, from Adam to Jesus to restore mankind’s access back to Eden (His presence). At the cross, sin and death were defeated, and the veil was finally torn between God and mankind. Through Christ, we were able to return back to Eden, where we were created to be always.
The serpent is craftier than ever, he’s more deceptive than ever. His goal is still the same as the beginning of time, to deceive God’s children and get them away from Eden, away from His presence.
I pray, as children of God, that we constantly seek Him and we constantly dwell in Eden, in His presence; in yada, and build a close and intimate relationship with Him. We were never ever meant to be away from Him! Apart from Him, we can do nothing! Apart from Him, we begin to wither!