Think about it. Adam and Eve were nekked and unashamed, so there was no laundry to do. Eve also never had to do any dishes because they just ate stuff off trees.
Heaven. Pure, pure heaven.
When I began to meditate on "Sanctuary," I started looking at all the scriptures I could find that talked about God's sanctuary. In the Bible, where God lived was often called a temple, a tabernacle, His holy hill, Zion, or the Courts of the Lord. I figured that I should see what kind of place God wanted to reside in. I was surprised to find just how many references there were, and how much could be gleaned from them!
Right there in Genesis, is the very first sanctuary. It's not called that, but that's really what it was. The garden of Eden was an incredible place of beauty and perfection, created especially for Adam and Eve. It had everything they needed--plentiful, sumptuous fruit, soft beds of grass, cuddly animals, and best of all, God's presence was there.
I truly believe that the source of our longing for sanctuary is because we were created for it. It is deep within our souls. We long for peace and beauty, for quiet and spiritual communion.
We long for meals to be eaten directly off of trees with no plates involved.
But this first sanctuary also came with some responsibilities. Even though Adam and Eve did not have to do their own laundry, they were given the job of taking care of the garden, and ruling over the earth's creatures. I started realizing that my idea of a leisurely home sanctuary was not based on scripture. Rats! But come to think of it, another innate desire we have is to do something, to accomplish something. Perhaps that's why we feel so frustrated when we feel like we never get anything done.
Before sin entered the garden, God walked with Adam and Eve and was known intimately by them. How amazing is that! They were able to enjoy His presence every day. But their sin removed them from the garden that had been so carefully made for them, and it removed them from the sweet friendship they had with their Creator.
In truth, there can be no Home Sanctuary apart from God. The very meaning of the word, "sanctuary", is "holy place:" a place where God resides. Part of my journey has been to realize my desperate need for a Savior, and complete dependence on God's grace through Jesus Christ. Being raised in a Christian home gave me a good foundation to base my life, but I often let sins like bitterness, anger, jealousy, laziness, pride and selfishness (just to name a few) keep me from enjoying a deep relationship with God. So much of the time I try and justify myself, rather than repent of those things that separate me from Him. And then I wonder why it's so hard to create my little sanctuary here at home!
When you get a moment, take a look at Genesis 1-3. I challenge you to make some observations of the world that God created, and see what you can apply to your own home. Unfortunately, we cannot walk around completely naked, but you may find yourself awed by what our Creator had in mind when He made that first sanctuary.
