Genesis 2:15 (NKJV)
“Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
If our goal is to live our lives as God wants us to, how do we find out what that is? I think we should start at the beginning. That takes us to Adam, the first man God created. He lived in a sinless garden called Eden. His job was to “tend” or cultivate the garden. He spent time walking and talking with God. He lived in relationship with Eve who was created because God said it was not good for man to be alone.
From all of this I think we find how we are to spend our lives. We are to work. After all, God assigned the tending of the garden to Adam before sin ever entered the picture. So work is something good and is right for us to do.
Then, we should live peaceably with others. Adam was in relationship with Eve. God’s intention was that we not be alone. Whether in family or not, we are to be attentive to each other. Remember, “love your neighbor as yourself”? What about, “do to others what you would like done to you”? We are to live in supportive and peaceful relationships.
The other thing Adam did was he walked and talked with God. (Genesis 3:8-9) He and Eve were accustomed to God coming to the garden and walking and talking with them. Then sin entered the picture and they couldn’t stay in the garden. The amazing thing is, God did not abandon humanity at that point. He established a covenant with Abraham and eventually sent Jesus so we could be in right relationship with God again. As followers of Jesus Christ, our relationship with God is restored. We can walk and talk with God again through His Holy Spirit.
Sometimes life moves so fast that it is hard to keep everything balanced but Genesis teaches us how we are to live. We are to work, live peaceably in community with each other, and walk and talk with God. Forget the things that distract. There are plenty of things that can do that. Life is that way. But let’s try to always remember the things that should have priority. Underneath it all, we are to work, love people, and walk with God. Those are the basics.