Anchor Devotional

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Out of the Wild, Into the Garden

“Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.”
Genesis 2:8

When I was young, there was a forest behind our house. We kids spent summers exploring it. And when the heat or rain became too much, we found refuge inside our house, a place of safety and rest, a contrast to the wilderness outside. I have fond memories of growing up there.

Have you ever noticed that God created Adam outside the Garden of Eden and then placed him inside it once it was ready? It may seem like a small detail, but it introduces a fascinating theme in Scripture.

Eden, of course, was far greater than any earthly home—yours or mine! Adam was newly created and was placed in a paradise where God Himself walked and talked with him. He was brought out of the wild into a place of perfect peace. Eden was like heaven on earth. Don’t we all long for such a place?

In many ways, this mirrors the Christian life—God calls us out of the wilderness of sin and into fellowship with Him. What do you think it was like for Adam to experience Eden for the first time? How does that shape the way you think about the life God has prepared for you?

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Genesis 2:4-8

INSIGHT
God in heaven, thank You for creating a place like Eden to point us forward to the future hope that we have in Jesus. Amen

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Nehemiah 12–13
Psalm 37
Mark 16

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