The sun had long set and our safe haven garden was now
inhabited with five rambunctious puppies.
Plans for a quiet holiday weekend didn’t really enter into their little minds when they escaped from their yard a few hundred feet from ours.
With the litter enclosed in the backyard hubby and I
finished getting the groceries out of our vehicle. Unfortunately puppy chow wasn’t on the list
and an alternative menu was selected for our impromptu dining guests. From the sound of it they didn’t mind a bit.
It didn’t take long for the puppies to settle into their
new surroundings. They quickly adapted
to their life in the garden and anticipated what would come next via the
humans.
Welcome new friends this week from:
See if your city/state/country made the list.
New on DFB – Salé, Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer, Morocco;
Haradh, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia; Avondale, Auckland Region, New Zealand;
Perth, WA, Australia; Chittagong, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh; Trbovlje,
Central Sava Statistical Region, Slovenia; Bijlmer, Noord-Holland, Netherlands;
Tring, England, United Kingdom; Thailand; South Africa; Sweden; South Korea;
Haiti; Suriname; Syria; Romania; Vietman; Brazil.
USA
– Summerfield, FL; Woodbury Heights, Haledon &
Paterson, NJ; Hartford, CT; Baton Rouge, LA; Kalkaska & Roseville, MI;
Lanton & Parkdale, MO; Mount Pleasant, Albemarle, Claremont & Roxboro,
NC; Adena, OH; Sterling, KS; Frankfort, KY; Spearfish, SD; Buffalo Gap &
Corpus Christi, TX; North Tazewell, VA; Madison, WI.
I am so thankful for your visit and hope that you come
back each week to participate in the weekly challenges. Join us in our new series as we spend time in
the study of Daily Favor Relationships.
You are welcome to leave comments or prayer requests below. All are private. I would love to hear from
you and how Daily Favor has worked in your life. Contact me by leaving a message in the box at
the bottom of this week’s post.
Don't miss out on this week's challenge
(below).
Read the beginning of this puppy caper in the Garden Party.
Inside the Garden Gate
Placing the seven week old puppies inside the garden was
different than any other place they have ever been. Everything looks humongous when you’re only
ten inches tall with limited jumping skills.
Investigating every corner of the enclosure was the next thing on their
“turn over the water” bucket list.
Upon entry into a new uncharted territory there was so
much for the puppies to investigate. “What’s that … where does that go … never
saw anything like that … can I eat it?”
These were very important questions that ran through their inquisitive
heads as rapidly as their feet traveled across the square foot allotment.
There was a pool of vegetables surrounded by flowers
(literally – they’re growing in a child’s swimming pool we purchased for that
purpose, but that sounded pretty poetic don’t
you think?).
More fences covered with fragrant flowers from trailing
vines that ran along the outskirts of the garden. There was a covered saw horse
bridge to shuttle under that held delicate masterpieces of award winning
arrangements from the summer’s county fair.
At the far end of the enclosed space were two piles of
stinky mushy stuff called “organic” compost, which were all part of the
discovery channels they dug through or overturned in a matter of hours. All of which were ruff going in the beginning of their short lived adventure. (I know
that was a stretch.)
Our special garden wasn’t designed to house pets, let
alone run-away a few week old canines.
As quickly as we could hubby and I moved items out of their reach or
removed them completely from the enclosed area.
We weren’t as fast as they were, but hurried to collect
pots one by one as the pups knocked over everything in their path. It wasn’t until the next day we noticed all
that they had gotten into during their visit inside the garden gate.
Why Did God Move Adam?
Did you give that question any thought from our last
think challenge? Later that night my
mind wondered as I thought about the beginning moments after man was “put” into
God’s special garden. Everywhere Adam
looked was full of excitement, wonder and beauty.
Last week our think challenge had us consider why God
decided to take Adam to another place other than where he was created. I’d like to share with you reasons why the
Creator would do such a thing.
The First Blessings
In Genesis 1:20-31 we learn that after God created living
creatures He declared that His work was good and then blessed them. What did the blessing include?
The
Bible gives us the order in which all events took place leading up to the
creation of living things that have breath, both animal and humans. Every provision for the future economy was
already in place for success through the first blessings.
Regardless of what some may believe the human race is an
offspring of the first pair resulting in one species bearing many colors. The original blessings were intended for all mankind.
“And He has made from one blood every nation of
men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their
pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” (Acts 17:26 NKJV)
“ For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood
fast.” (Psalm 33:9 NKJV)
“O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In
wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions.” (Psalm
104:24 NKJV)
Life in God’s Garden
Take a walk with me as we enter into the garden gate where God put the first human being.
When Adam met God he must have had all sorts of emotions bursting
through him. Having just come to life as
a fully grown human what does one do next?
The Master had everything covered and Adam was about to get his first
lessons in living as an image bearer.
I have tried to picture what the first day of Adam was
like with him being shown around by God.
Everywhere he looked things were spectacular, with questions flowing
one after another. It's probably the only time man didn't keep quiet when someone talked to him about something serious. No one will ever have
an opportunity like this … how favored was he?
Not long after Adam was on the earth Jehovah Jireh (the
God who provides) took his firstborn to a special place reserved for fellowship
between He and the race called “man.”
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The
Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man
whom He had formed.” (Genesis 2:7-8 NKJV)
The word “put” in scripture literally means to cast in,
commit, place or be set. Whether or not
Adam was awake yet we don’t know, but we do know God “put” him there to
establish relationships and work ethics.
Ten Blessings of Eden
Part of the Divine favor plan of God was that His children
would live in a state of blessing, or grace, favor from the time of birth
throughout eternity. His creation was
designed to make that happen, causing mankind to live in the abundance first
received from the Garden Blessings.
Scripture says in John 1:16 in the New Living
Translation,
“From His abundance we have all received one
gracious blessing after another; or the receiving of grace (favor) of ( and through)
Christ rather than the grace of the law which would follow due to the fall of
man.”
The Greek transcribed it as believer’s in the
resurrected Christ receiving grace upon grace and referred to as “favor upon endless favor” from God.
We take notice of what Adam
received upon entrance to God’s garden that appealed to every sense God created
in mankind. As Adam begins life, his senses also come alive as his vision, taste,
touch, smell and hearing abilities quicken to his flawless surroundings.
This week let’s look at the first five blessings of Eden.
First Blessing – The Garden of Eden was a place of safety
that was set apart from the rest of the world where God walked with man/woman. It
was where man could live, abide or dwell in the shadow of the Almighty God to
form a relationship with his Creator.
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the
Almighty. This I declare about the Lord::
He along is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God,
and I trust Him." (Psalm 91:1-2 NLT)
Second Blessing – Both mankind and all living were
blessed with food that would multiply on its own because of the seed God
provided. Man didn’t have to worry about
feeding his family or the animals, God had it covered.
“And God said, “See, I have given you every
herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree
whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of
the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the
earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it
was so.´(Genesis 1:29-30 NKJV)
Third Blessing – Not only did God make sure the food
supply was unending seed and harvest, everlasting life was also part of the
original plan for man (and animal). In the middle of the vegetation God provided
food for eternal life … literally. The
curse of death was not part of the garden blessing.
“And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is
pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden.”
(Genesis 2:9a NKJV)
Fourth Blessing – Alongside the tree of life was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From
the beginning Adam knew he had a free will to choose. Having the ability to choose was meant to be
a blessing, not a curse.
“…and the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.” (Genesis 2:9b NKJV)
Fifth Blessing – The land was perfectly beautiful
with every color of the rainbow in hues only the first humans have seen. Lush flowering gardens with cascading vines,
bushes and trees in full bloom were in full Panavision being continually
watered by God. Man would never have to
pull out those fifty foot hoses that kink while you try to use them, because
the earth was self-watered.
“… a mist went up from the earth and watered
the whole face of the ground.” (Genesis 2:6b NKJV)
When Adam would “till” or work the ground it
would turn over easily without any weeds, undergrowth, thorns or harmful critters
chomping away at his limbs as he went about keeping his assignment of taking dominion
over the tame earth. Man would live and
take care of the ground which was originally blessed from the day of its
creation.
“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring
forth grass, the herb that yields
seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its
kind, whose seed is in itself,
on the earth’; and it was so. And the earth brought forth
grass, the herb that yields
seed according to its kind, and the tree that
yields fruit, whose seed is in
itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:11-12 NKJV)
From the time of man’s existence there was beauty from
glorious sunrise until bronze sunsets shimmering across the crystal clear
rivers. Every breath he breathed was cause to sing praises to Almighty God. Fernando Ortega has captured it well in his song about creation.
This is creation … life in God’s garden …
He wraps Himself
in Light as with a garment.
He spreads out
the heavens
and walks on the wings of the wind.
He sends forth
the springs from the valleys,
they flow between
mountains.
The birds of the
air dwell by the waters,
lifting their
voices in song …singing glory!
He made the moon
for its seasons.
The sun knows it’s setting.
He looks at the
earth and it trembles,
He touches the
mountains and they smoke.
Did Adam rejoice and declare what David the King used to
sing?
“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praises
to my God.
As long as I live, praises to the LORD, oh my soul …
Singing glory, honor and praises forever, and ever. Amen.”
Think on This Challenge: Walking in Created Favor
Have you ever wondered what it was like for Adam to walk
in the Garden of Eden with God? Before
woman was made, he spent time with God alone … it was just the two of them.
Did God go over the things that only men discuss amongst
themselves? What little tidbits of
advice did Jehovah share with his first son that no one else was privy to or
ever heard? We know there was a
discussion over food choices … why doesn’t that surprise me?
When you have some alone time, use it for this week’s think challenge imagining what it would
be like if it was you instead of Adam walking with God in His garden. Would you recognize it as a place of favor
and blessings?
While watching the pups I thought about how those sweet
little creations of God were “put” into the garden. There they found everything
they needed. They received blessings in the Garden of Favor just like the first
beings on this planet. You have to
admit, life in the garden was pretty good.
Next week we’ll pick up on the other five garden blessings.
Creation Song by Fernando Ortega
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Until next time, look around … creation
favor surrounds you!
“Creation favor was designed with you in mind.”
Jesus Christ
*Unless
noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy.
Note: Emphasis
is given in some scriptures to show clarity or understanding and is not to take
away from the inspirited Word of God.
Disclaimer:
Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical
issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness.
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