Genesis 3:8 says, "They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." This is the first thing we read that God did after He created the world, created man and created the first Garden home. He walked in the garden! The Garden of Eden (which means "delight") was the first home and was an example for all future homes. God wants us to make our home a delight. That is what homes are meant to be--a delightful place to live. They should be a delightful place for our children, a delightful place for our husband to return home each evening, a delightful place for everyone who comes in through our doors, and a delightful place for ourselves.
The greatest way we make our homes a delight is to experience the presence of God in our homes. And this is what God longs to do--to walk in our homes and fellowship with us. He wants to be part of everything we are doing.
You may be thinking, "Help! I can't imagine God walking in my home. There's stuff going on around here that God wouldn't be very happy about!" The amazing thing is that God does not only come to us when everything is perfect. He comes down to our lives when everything is out of order. He wants to come into your home to make everything right. That's what He was doing in the Scripture we read. Adam and Eve had disobeyed God's command and sin had entered the world. It was a tragic moment! But God did not abandon them. He still came walking in the garden to meet them--to meet them right where they were. He came to put things right. He came to bring them salvation and restoration.
At first Adam and Eve "hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" as we often hide ourselves from God when things aren't right, when we are in rebellion, or when things seem out of control. But when they allowed God to find them, they came to great repentance and God brought salvation to them. Of course, it was not without great cost. Animals had to be killed and blood was shed for the first time (Genesis 3:21).
But now Jesus has shed His perfect and precious blood to make atonement for our sins (Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; 1 John 1:7, 9). There is nothing too hard for God to forgive and cleanse. And He comes walking in your home to meet you right where you are, even in the midst of your sin and hopelessness. As you come to the foot of the cross with a repentant spirit, He will forgive you and cover you with His righteousness. He will bring healing to your relationships. He will bring restoration to the things that are out of order in your home. That's why He comes--to bring us salvation, healing and restoration and to fill our homes with His delightful presence.
Will you let God walk in the midst of your home? Will you let Him find you right where you are and minister into your deepest need? He is walking and He wants to find you and bring you His blessing.
Leviticus 26:12 says, "I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people."
Jeremiah 31:1 says, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."
Ezekiel 37:27 says, "My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people."
We go over to the New Testament and read in 2 Corinthians 6:16, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org
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