“O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things…” Isaiah 25:1, NKJV.
In the month of April, when “life” begins waking up all around us, praising the Creator comes as natural as breathing in oxygen. Seeing God’s beauty in the colors of springtime reminds us that if He cares so much about the flowers and trees, how much more does He care for you and me? In the Book of Genesis during the creation process, after all other life existed, God did the most amazing thing—He created humankind in His image. How awesome was that moment in time, as God chose to reveal His likeness in humans solely for “His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)?
We read that not long after creating the man, Adam, and the woman, Eve, God gave them the most beautiful garden of all time in which to live, the “Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3). But Adam and Eve, exercising the gift from God of freewill succumbed to temptation, and according to God’s forewarned judgment were expelled from the garden to face the natural consequences that would follow.
Fast-forward to the year, 2024. Friend, you, and I inherited the same gift of freewill as our ancestor’s, Adam, and Eve, and we also carry their DNA making us vulnerable to temptation. Despite our oftentimes errant choices, God is patient with us. Since my flowers this spring are already breathtaking, only in my wildest imagination can I produce an image of what the Garden of Eden must have looked like before humans sinned.
Another garden comes to mind, where Jesus, the Son of God chose to turn over His life to Roman soldiers to be crucified for the sins of the world, the result of our freewill choices. On this side of Resurrection Sunday, the gift of salvation from Jesus keeps on giving to all who would receive it. As April turns into May and the earth continues to explode with color, and when you experience the beauty, remember how much you are loved and be thankful. God is worthy of our praise!
For deeper understanding, read John 17 to see what Jesus prayed right before His arrest; He had you in mind.