Outside Eden

||Rhema for the Week||

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.” Matthew 1:23

Eden! Eden! It was more than a location. It was the birthplace of real relationship. A space marked by God’s presence, provision, protection, and peace. Before sin ever entered the story, God’s desire was clear; to have fellowship with His creation. Christianity, then, is not a religion of supremacy but a revelation of a God who longs for relationship with His creation.

The fellowship seen in Eden mirrors the relationship within the Triune nature of God. The Father, Son, and Spirit exist in perfect communion, and creation was designed to reflect that same shared life. In the garden, man was never lonely because God’s presence filled every gap. Creation itself was meant to be a visible expression of spiritual realities.

When man stepped outside Eden, he stepped into a life without sustained presence. “Presenceless” living was never the original design. Salvation, therefore, is not merely forgiveness of sin. It is the restoration of relationship. God responded by coming to us as Immanuel, God with us. This name reveals both humanity’s need for presence and God’s persistent desire to dwell among His people.

Anxiety, depression, loneliness, and meaninglessness often point to the absence of lived awareness of Immanuel. We were never created for independence. Outside Eden is a life of self reliance, and self reliance leads to wilderness living. The wilderness lacks provision, protection, and direction because it was never meant to be home.

Jesus is proof that God did not abandon His original plan. Through Him, God is with us. Through the Holy Spirit, God now lives in us. We are not meant to walk alone. God desires involvement in every part of life, in struggles, victories, pain, and purpose. Eden was lost, but through Christ, the presence that defines Eden has been restored.

As we celebrate the birth of Immanuel this season, be reminded that you are never alone. God is with us and He is always near. He is only a humble, contrite heart and a sincere call away.

Further reading: Genesis 1-3, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:1-4,14, 14:16-17, Phil 2:5-8, Matthew 1:18-23