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Garden Of Purpose

Genesis 2:8; 15

“God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there He placed the man He had made.”

This is such a profound revelation for us as God’s created beings. Many times we struggle with finding where we belong whether in our career-path, in relationships, among friends, businesses, etc. We venture into so many activities and many times, we're not sure if we took the right steps. Right here in this verse, we're reminded that it is God Who must place you in the garden He created specifically for you.


Therefore, we must stop running up and down, helter-skelter, looking for our own garden. It is time to run back to God, literally lay down and ask Him to pick you up and place you in the garden He has created specifically for you, where you belong. The request (Prayer) can be as simple as saying: dear Heavenly Father, which garden to I belong? I lay myself (body, soul and spirit) down and ask that you lead and place me in the garden you created for me.


Fast forward to verse 15, now we’re told God placed the man in the garden of Eden to tend (work inside it) and watch over it. Not surprising but quite interesting that in verse 8, it was described as a “garden” and now in verse 15, it is referred to as the Garden of Eden. This signifies that this is no longer an ordinary ‘garden’ but now a Garden of Purpose!


A Garden of Purpose is rich with flowing river that separates into four headwaters (the source of a stream or other rivers). These rivers flow with riches of the earth: gold, aromatic resin, onyx and so much more. They run through lands, providing essential benefits for sustenance. They quench thirst of humans, animals and plants, sustaining life for millions of generations.


The Garden of Purpose flourishes with life; it thrives under the watchful eyes of the man placed inside. Had the man wandered away from where God placed him, it is possible that this Garden of Eden would have deteriorated. But the man tended to the garden, day and night, he watched over it. Perhaps, he would rise every single day and smell the roses then prune off the thorns that grew too long. It is possible he ran through field of lavender in this special Garden, to enjoy the aromatic intrigues of the purple plants. Perhaps, he climbed the trees and spread himself wide on the branches to watch the sunset behind the evening clouds. Whatever he did inside, it was God who planted him in this Garden of Purpose, this Garden of Eden. In fact, once inside, the man had the liberty to tend and watch the garden as he saw fit. No where in the verses of Scripture does it mention that God specified how the man was to tend to the trees and the rivers and the beautiful riches inside this garden.


Wherever you find yourself working today, I want to encourage you to take a pause and ask yourself: did God place me in this ‘garden’? And is this my Garden of Purpose? If you’re in the Garden of Purpose, continue to thrive, dear readers.


If you’re not, I lovingly encourage you to lay down and ask God to transport you, this year to your Garden of Purpose. It is imperative! When He brings you to the Garden of Purpose, life becomes significantly meaningful. Even when the  terrains get tough, you'll feel as immovable as a mountain because you know you’re living in your Garden of Purpose!


While the man tended the Garden of Eden, he had only one stipulation, "DO NOT EAT FROM THIS TREE..." It is fascinating to know that the Garden of Purpose had two important trees:

a.      The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

b.      The Tree of Life.

Next time, we will examine the purpose of these trees and how they’re important for our Garden of Purpose.


Shalom.


By Latunde Bolarinwa 24 Jun, 2021
Isn’t it interesting that when you conduct a google search for list of women who struggled with depression or mental illness in the Bible, the list usually consists of men and perhaps one or two women at most. Some might argue it’s because the Bible was mostly patriarchal; however, pages of Scripture are littered with stories of women…strong women who at one point in their lives endured the strains of a mental illness, whether short or long-lived. Mental Health is such a vital aspect of humanity. What makes us human isn’t merely our physical health and spiritual health. Without our mental health, we are incomplete. So it baffles me that we rarely speak about this aspect of our lives. What’s even more shocking is the stigma we (humans) place on those who struggle with an ill-health in the mental aspect of their humanity. Why is that? As I’ve always asked, if someone is diagnosed with cancer or diabetes, or high blood pressure or tooth cavity, or congestive heart failure, or found in spiritual ill-health such as lying, stealing, fornication, adultery, etc., do we automatically stigmatize those with these types of illnesses? Or do we empathize with and encourage them to seek appropriate treatment? I think most of us fall into the latter category. In the same token, those struggling with mental ill-health deserve such empathy rather than stigmatization. While the Bible describes many individuals dealing with all manners of mental illness, I want to share a few women and their plights: From the first few pages of the Bible, we read about the first family, their dysfunctions and shortcomings. Eve certainly must have endured Major Depression when her first son murdered her second son in cold blood. Then to watch that same first son being cursed and made a wanderer on earth (essentially becoming homeless, aimless and hopeless)! Many of us may not consider what Eve must have endured and though the Bible does not explicitly explain this either, we get a glimpse from the meaning of the name of another son she birthed: Seth means, “God has granted another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” What a trauma! (Genesis chapter 4). We don’t know Noah’s wife’s name but we are familiar with the experience their family endured—worldwide, colossal wipeout! Imagine being the wife of a man that received the task to build a world class ark/ship/boat/yacht/submarine or whatever you want to call it! Once again, I can only imagine. (Genesis chapter 6, 7,8,9) Barrenness drove Sarai, Rachel and Hannah to pull extreme stunts. Sarai going as far as upgrading her servant’s status to co-wife and imagine what happened when the said servant became pregnant by her husband, the same man she’d been having sex with for decades without success! (Genesis 16). Similarly, Hannah watched her husband impregnant her co-wife over and again while she (the most loved) remained infertile. Bible records in 1 Samuel 1: 10 that “Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.” The impact of such trauma in Hannah’s life was evident by priest Eli’s accusation ( 1 Samuel 1: 14). How can I conclude this writeup without the mention of Mary, the mother of Jesus! The horror to watch your son suspended in the air by several inches of nails in his hands and feet! Yes, she knew He was the Savior, she knew He was special, unlike the rest of her children. Still, no mother is ever prepared for such event! Again, the Bible does not discuss her mental state during and after these dark moments in the history of the world but we can only imagine that Mary stayed in bed most of those three days after Jesus had died, crying until tears dried from her eyes. The emotional toll it must have taken even long after Jesus ascended to heaven. Ever ponder about that? Amazingly, the stories of these women did not end in sorry or depression or sadness. That’s the beauty; knowing that God loves us and sees whatever we are going through. That’s why Bible verses such as Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11 have a special hold on my heart. Each woman identified in this article laughed in the end: Eve gave birth to so more sons and daughters. Noah’s wife and her family survived the colossal wipeout and set their feet, once again, on dry earth! Sarai (later called Sarah) gave birth to her own child, a son for her husband! Rachel whom Jacob loved very much gave birth to two children as well! Hannah of course gave birth to Samuel, a son better than ten sons! Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus also had other sons and forever known as The Mother of our Savior! Are you a woman reading this piece and wondering why you’re going through whatever it is you’re going through, let me encourage you with this: I am on this same ship with you. You might be in the deeper end of the struggle just as I once was, and I’ll be honest, it was really dark and scary. You feel alone, lost, anxious with no ability to pray. Remember how Hannah was described? In deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed onto the Lord; yet literally, no words proceeded from her lips. Here’s my step by step guide to come out of that deep end: If in a crisis, Text “NAMI” to 741741 Call/Text: (202) 304-8793 or Email: olatundebola2017@yahoo.com Schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor Request for PHQ9 assessment Request at least two weeks or few days wellness time-off from work Call National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression or 1-800- 950 - NAMI (6264) Find a Support Person or Group to confidentially speak about the situation. Pray: simply dialogue with God. The only formula for praying is the Lord’s Prayer and its as simple as talking to a friend. There’s no need for perfection during this dialogue. Shalom
By Latunde Bolarinwa 09 May, 2021
Motherhood isn’t just a role, it’s a destiny that starts the moment your heart, without warning, connects with another heart—usually a tiny beating heart that flutters in your stomach. For mothers who begin this destiny in-utero, your heart sings a different tune towards this unknown being slowing invading your internals. For most, it’s a happy tune, an indescribable happiness mixed with mild anxiety over the safety of this invader. Day after day, week and after week, you begin to realize that it’s your destiny to provide a safe haven for this foreigner until its arrival into this cruel world. For mothers who begin this destiny ex-utero, you’re equally preparing for a role unlike any other. Your heart sings differently than ever before, a mixture of happiness and anxiety over acceptance, connection and so much more. There’s a constant silent question in the back of every mother’s head: do I have what it takes to raise this individual? This isn’t a question of financial competencies, though that too is important. This question is at the very core, a question of fulfilling her destiny of Motherhood.
By Latunde Onabajo 03 May, 2021
By design, the human body has limitations, even if at its healthiest. For example, we can only bend our arms so far before snapping the bones into two. Or the fact that the muscles of the feet are designed to grow tired after long hours of walk/running or general activities. These aren’t necessarily negative limitations; they simply the body’s way of protecting itself from breaking down to beyond repair.
By Latunde Onabajo 25 Feb, 2021
“Then He said to the woman, ‘I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16 NLT)
By Latunde Onabajo 16 Feb, 2021
Have you ever experienced orgasm?
By Latunde Onabajo 26 Jan, 2021
Genesis 2: 16-17 ; Genesis 3: 1-24
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