The Greatest Loss

Genesis 3:23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of
Eden to work the ground from which he had been
taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east
side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming
sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of
life.

It is difficult to imagine the loss felt by Adam and Eve the day
they left the garden. The weight of guilt and shame must have
been overwhelming. Moving into a world of unknown
dangers, having to struggle to survive for the first time in their
lives, looking around and seeing a harsh landscape rather than
a lush garden must have all been overwhelming for them.

Yet of all the things that were lost that day, none would have
been so hard to bear as losing the daily presence of God.
Imagine what that must have been like for them! Could you
fathom spending all of your life dwelling with God, basking in
His glory, surrounded by the perfection of His creation only to
be sent away from Him?

It is unbearable to even comprehend.

God would have been justified in ending the Bible there. He
would have had every right to simply walk away and be done.
But the introduction of sin did not end God’s plan for us. In
fact, what was intended for evil, God would use to bring about
good.

As they stepped out into a world of uncertainty, doubt and fear,
Adam and Eve stepped towards God’s redemption. Each step
away from Eden brought them one step closer to Advent.