Opus 2026-016: It’s Not the Same

Did God create the world for us, for Himself or for both?  I’ve always assumed that the world was made for us to subdue and act  as stewards.  But this thought came to me in the dark of the morning.  It may be God enjoys nature as much as we do.  That may be why he created it the way he did.

Notice the first part of this verse,

Genesis 3:8 (KJV) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

I’ve always had the impression that God would come and walk through the garden on a regular basis and spend time with Adam and Eve. Of course, that impression may come from the song that we often sing, 

I come to the garden alone, 
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, Falling on my ear, 
The Son of God discloses.

    And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
    And He tells me I am His own;
    And the joy we share as we tarry there,
    None other has ever known.

But it’s supported by these concepts, here, of walking and the cool of the day.

I wonder if God still enjoys walking in the world that He created.  Is it better than cruising the galaxies?  I’m thinking that perhaps the sin of Adam and Eve as it spread through all the creation, polluted creation in such a way that God gets no joy in walking through it.  I remember working one summer in Sequoia National Park.  It was an awesome experience.  What would happen if there was a fire that burned out all those ancient redwoods and left nothing but charcoal and rubble?  Somehow, I don’t think I would enjoy the experience of walking through it.  The location would be the same.  The atmosphere would be totally different.

People are waiting for the return of Jesus.  We have the picture of the new heaven and the new Earth.  We envision the New Jerusalem descending from heaven and we see the child playing with the viper.  It is a glorious picture that we anticipate.  Perhaps God looks forward to it also.

Can God come down and walk on the surface of the Earth now?  I would answer that with a big resounding, “Of course He could.  Who’s going to tell Him He can’t?”  The thing is where before He came to enjoy not only the fellowship of His creatures, but the surrounding of the rest of creation.  It’s very possible that He will not be able to enjoy that again until it is restored.

It’s just not the same.

May you find it encouraging that God is looking forward to restoring His creation as much as we are.

homo unius libri