Taste & SeeНамуна

Fellowship Broken at the Garden Table

The three would walk together in the cool of the day as the Lord revealed to them the secrets of his creation and heart. Knowing only fullness and satisfaction, they had no concept of the sorrow their opposites would bring. In the pre-fall condition of the garden, every need was met, every longing fulfilled, and every appetite was quenched, at least for a time.

Then one day, the serpent lied to Eve and deceived her into thinking that God had withheld from her something that was good. Eve saw that the fruit not only looked good, but would also taste good, and would give her wisdom, and so she and Adam reached beyond God’s boundaries and ate what was forbidden.

After their disobedience, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness and hid from God. The first question God asks in the Bible is, “Where are you?” It wasn’t a question of where they were physically, but where were they spiritually. In essence, God was asking, “Now that you’ve disobeyed me, what condition do you find yourself in?”

Their perfect fellowship had been broken, and the punishment for their crime was death. But instead of exacting justice at that moment, God’s question was a lifeline of mercy. Adam, acknowledge your sin and repent. Find forgiveness, and let’s restore what’s been broken.

That first bite of disobedience separated humanity from God, but God, in his mercy, used the very means of man’s disobedience to reverse the damage done in the garden.

We see it in the Old Testament, where much of Israel’s identity was tied to her many communal feasts. Food, fellowship, and community were edible reminders of the redemptive plan of God and his desire to restore fellowship with his people.

In the New Testament, Jesus moved towards sinners, eating with tax collectors and prostitutes. When he wanted to teach a spiritual truth, he often did so around food, even comparing his broken body and spilled blood to the life-sustaining elements of bread and wine.

But God’s question to Adam and Eve is asked of us too. “Where are you?”

What is your spiritual condition? Are you longing for forbidden fruit that initially offers fulfillment, but leaves you famished in the end? Or are you partaking of the life-giving, soul-satisfying food that comes with a right relationship with him?

You were made for fellowship with God. He desires to walk with you in the cool of the day and reveal his heart of love toward you. You’ll find fellowship with him in his Word, and be filled and satisfied forever. You’re invited to pull up a chair and discover this soul satisfaction for yourself. Oh, taste and see that he is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him (Psalm 34:8).

Food for Thought

Are you partaking of a steady diet of God’s Word, and finding that it satisfies your soul?

Even Christians struggle to feel that Jesus is always supremely satisfying. When our desire for God’s Word ebbs instead of flows, we can feel guilty. There are so many things that vie for our attention and affections. But Christian, there’s grace for our wayward and fickle hearts. Stay in the rhythms of grace he’s provided. Keep filling up your mind with his truth. Chew on it, and over time your tastebuds will long for it.