Restoring Eden: The Saga

I am guilty of consistently misunderstanding others.
Instead, I fight to be properly understood.
I fight to be free and independent.
I fight to dominate and coerce submission.
I fight to be biblical.
I am a mess!
I am not alone in my fighting.
The fight to be understood is human condition.
In all of our fighting,
we have created a no-man’s-land.
Meanwhile, those in the trenches
on either side
sit with heads in hands,
weary and lonely.
Although we rarely admit it,
even to ourselves,
we have forgotten.
We no longer remember
that precious golden ring for which we fight.
We forget that we are actually from the same land.
We are people not altogether different from the legendary Narnians.
We are colorful. We come in all shapes and sizes.
We speak different languages. We have varying traditions.
We are male. We are female.
We are human.
We fight for the same thing.
We fight for peace.
We fight so that we can live united.
We fight to restore Eden.

Yet, in the no-man’s-land of misperception,
Drenched in irony,
exists a seldom acknowledged truth:
The battle for Restored Eden has already been won!
Our need to be understood, to be enough, to be complete, our need to BE at rest, caused
the UnLimited One to limit Himself.
Our need for restored intimacy caused
Him to come nearer to humanity than even we, ourselves, are willing to come.
He made Himself fully present to the human experience.

He was born. He grew.
He laughed. He wept.
He breathed. He slept.
He understood.
He died.
But, in His death,
He accomplished what we could not…
He bridged the gap our selfishness and lack of trust created.
In His death, He lives and we also can live.

Jesus...
Restored Eden.
He made a way for God and man
to dwell in trust again.
He reunited long-separated children to their Father.
He opened blind eyes and unlocked deaf ears so that
men and women would no longer fear Him…
nor should they fear one another.
Restored Eden is eternal life.
While heaven awaits,
His Kingdom is
living in the no-man’s-land…
being understood in light of His sacrifice.

All of this said, we,
sons and daughters of
the Living, UnLimited, UnCreated God,
continue to dwell in the gray trenches of
“my worldview” versus “your worldview.”
We long to play together in the space that lies between us,
but we fear.
We fear because
we fail to remember…
Perfect Love drives away all fear.

We have been re-created.
We are new.
We are not our stories.
No, our stories are but stylistic embellishment,
badges nonchalantly proclaiming,
“I am HIS!”
Our journeys are only pathways
navigating us toward Restored Eden.

In Eden, we trust.
We live in confidence,
not in ourselves but in the One who has restored us.
In Eden, we are defined by what He is doing through us,
rather than what we have done to ourselves.
Every day, we have the choice.
Live in the trenches or…
Dwell in the “no-man’s-land” of restored trust

…the place where being understood flows out of being known…

…the place where being whole trumps being understood…

“Therefore, I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. ” Ephesians 4:1-4