A fetching photo of a teenage boy and his cow snuggled together for a much-needed nap at a state fair went viral this week.  Nothing unusual looking about the teen or the heifer.  What was winsome was the loving relationship so evident in the photo.  The image captured closeness and trust between the two.  Our hearts long for loving relationships.  We yearn for peace, whether it’s between humans and humans or between humans and animals.

In other words, we all hear echoes of Eden, the garden of love and peace.  Ever since the first couple was evicted, the desire remains to return to Paradise.  We were made for the Garden and our souls are restless until we find it again.

Self will brought rebellion against the kind rule of God in the Garden and plunged humankind into alienation.  Self will erected a barrier between the man and the woman, and between them and God.  It even affected their relationship with the animals.  An innocent animal was killed to provide clothing for the man and woman who previously needed no clothing.  Insisting on their own way instead of God’s way caused separation.  The gap yawned wider and uglier quickly.  Distrust, blame, betrayal, selfishness, disunity, loss of privileges, loss of closeness, exile, followed thereafter by jealousy, strife, and murder.

In our culture, we value independence and personal choice with an emphasis on the individual.  As worthy as these ideals are, they should operate under the authority of God.  Individualism and independence can easily lead to selfishness and justification for harm to others.  A ‘Me First’ attitude doesn’t lend itself to harmonious, loving relationships.  We always have moral choice as individuals, but we should use that moral choice to obey God.  Our lives will be happier when we do!

So how do we find our way back to Eden?  Religions and governments since the exile have sought to find  Eden’s back door.  Call it Nirvana or Utopia, humankind has tried to return to Paradise.  We all want heaven on earth.  And indeed, that’s exactly what the Bible promises.  But the Bible offers an unappealing path back.  It’s the path of following God instead of taking our own route.  It’s turning from our selfish goals and heading for service.  It’s giving up our rights to give to others.  It’s choosing the narrow pathway that may bring ridicule and loss.  It’s laying down ‘Me’ to gain Him.  It’s costly obedience.  But considering the beyond-description gain, obedience is a very smart choice.  This path of obedience can be shadowy, rocky, and uphill.  We have to fight our own wrong inclinations in order to stay on God’s path.  It’s counter-intuitive, it’s hard, it can be discouraging.  But all along the way, we have the companionship, encouragement, and strength of Jesus because we can’t do it alone.  As an added bonus, we get to walk with others on this path and they may help us carry our burden when it gets too heavy for us as we have the privilege of carrying theirs when they are overwhelmed.  This companionship with Jesus and his followers gives us a preview of our destination.   Don’t imagine that I’m saying that as long as we’re on the right path we’ll enjoy peace and love.  That isn’t our present reality.  We get to enjoy some peace and love now that will eventually be uninterrupted when he brings all things to completion and his home in heaven is brought to a remade earth.  Although others may fail us, we can enjoy the love of Jesus in the here and now and in the eternal new earth we will enjoy love and peace with others, who like us, have been fully changed by Christ.

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth,
    and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!”  Isaiah 65:17-18

So what difference does this make to me today?  I have the peace that I am headed for a happy destination.  That helps me through the tough places on the road.  I recognize that this world is broken, me included.  But I’m going to a delightful,  peaceful kingdom where love will reign and everything that is now broken will be re-made new, me included.  I remind myself that choices I make to obey God here will have happy effects here and eternal rewards in the next world.  That perspective makes choosing the right easier.  I make choices every day which matter both in the here and now and the future life.  When people and outcomes disappoint me I am not shocked.  This is life in a broken world.  I have better times ahead, guaranteed by Jesus.  When others and myself fail, I’m not undone.  Jesus never fails me.  I trust him here by faith without being able to see him, but someday I will see him clearly and he will grant that I will be like him- loving and peaceful in a perfect world.

“But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.
 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.”  2 Peter 3:13-14

“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.  And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.”  1 John 3:2-3