Some time ago I had an interesting conversation with a service station attendant. We were discussing how beautiful it was in California, and he responded, "This is the closest we'll ever get to the Garden of Eden". I added, "in this life". He returned, "in any life".

This gentlemen had a view that so many have today, that this is all there is to life, and when we die, we are like Rover, dead all over! Paul made the observation concerning another kind of reasoning. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." Paul was talking to Christians. The service station attendant was not a Christian, he had no knowledge of true Christianity, thus no hope (Eph. 2:12). Yet, Christians sometimes by the frown on their foreheads, the constant attention to material matters, and inactivity in the kingdom of God, suggest that they have lost the hope.

In Rev. 22:1-2, John is picturing heaven for us in terms we can understand. He pictures heaven as the Garden of Eden regained. The Garden has all the provisions for man's eternal happiness; water, food, and health. Man lost the Garden of Eden through sin (Gen. 3); but for those who obey His gospel (Acts 2:38), and live faithfully until death, (Rev. 2:10); they will be able to live in the Garden eternally (Matt. 25:46).

My friend at the gas station may think that the shallow happiness he has found here on earth is paradise, but to the child of God we are pilgrims here on our way to the Promised Land, (Heb. 11:13).

Since we know this is not all there is to life, since we know that this is not Eden, let us stop worrying about material matters and get busy storing up our treasures in time and possession in things eternal (Matt. 6:19-21). Unfortunately, for those in and of the world this is the closest they will ever get to Eden!!!
Steven K. Guy