The story of the Bible is not first about religion or rules. It’s about relationships. It’s the story of a God who created humans to be His own family, to live with them, walk with them, and share a deep, intimate bond with them. And when we turned away, He didn’t leave us in our ruin. Instead, He made a plan for us to get back home.
Today, we live in a world overwhelmed by anxiety, division, confusion, and despair. We scroll endlessly, search tirelessly, and try to fill our lives with meaning, but deep down, we know something is missing. Something is broken.
That “something” is not just out there. It’s in us. The brokenness in the world reflects a deeper truth: We have been exiled from God’s presence, and so we are no longer directly under His government. We now run our independent government with God entirely out of the equation. But the good news is this: Jesus came to bring us home.
Eden: Where We Belonged
In the beginning, God created a perfect world. He formed the first humans, Adam and Eve, and placed them in His paradise (the Garden of Eden). It was a place of beauty, order, peace, and delight. But Eden’s greatest treasure wasn’t the trees, rivers, or precious metals. It was God’s presence.
God walked with humanity. There was no shame, no fear, no distance. We belonged.
But when Adam and Eve chose to trust their own wisdom over God’s Word and redefine good and evil on their own terms, there was misalignment, and sin entered the world. That act of rebellion ruptured the relationship, and like all betrayals in relationships, it brought separation.
“He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword…” — Genesis 3:24
Humanity was exiled or cut off from the source of life, peace, and joy. The rest of human history has been lived outside the garden—restless, wandering, always searching but never quite finding what we lost: God’s presence and by extension God’s rule.
Life Outside the Garden
Look around. The world bears the scars of that exile:
- The problem of evil in society.
- Violence in our homes and streets.
- Anxiety that medication can’t fix.
- Identity confusion in a world full of mirrors but no meaning.
- Death. The great enemy we cannot escape.
At the core of all this brokenness and scars is one truth: we are living disconnected from the God who made us. We were not made to live without Him. A fish out of water doesn’t need therapy; it needs to be back in the water. We don’t just need improvement, enhancement, or upgrade; we need restoration. We need to be brought back to the presence of God.
Jesus: The Way Back
In John 14, Jesus, knowing He is about to die, gathers His disciples and speaks words that reach across the centuries:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you.” — John 14:1–2
Oh wow, what incredible and refreshing news! If Jesus’ promise is anything to go by, we will finally be restored to our rightful place in God’s paradise. We will finally regain unrestrained access to God, the very source of life. Isn’t that amazing? Jesus’ death would be the doorway back to God. Through the cross, Jesus would deal with the very sin that exiled us.
Through His resurrection, He would shatter death itself and reopen the gates of paradise. This is the most fantastic news the world has ever heard, and it’s meant to be joyfully announced to every person in every generation through every means possible: one-on-one, radio, TV, and the Internet.
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6
Remember the flaming sword that blocked the entrance to Eden? Jesus walked through it for us. He took the judgment, the wrath, and the separation we deserved so that we could be welcomed back into God’s presence forever.
Now, He says, “I will come again and take you to myself.” Jesus personally promises to return to earth and bring us into eternal union with Him. The phrase “take you to myself” paints the picture of a groom bringing his bride home, not just for a visit, but to live with her in loving union forever.
It’s a promise that includes the living and those who have died in faith. One day, they will be resurrected and reunited with Jesus, as God gathers His whole family, redeemed and restored to dwell with Him on a renewed earth. Jesus is coming to restore all that humanity lost in Eden.
Coming Home to God
This is the message of the Gospel: you were made for God’s presence and God’s kingdom. And you don’t have to stay exiled anymore. God is not inviting you to religion. He’s inviting you home.
- Home where there is peace in place of chaos, joy in place of fear, life in place of death.
- Home where you are truly loved and where your soul finds rest
The Choice Before You
You were never meant to live without God. That’s why nothing else works. No relationship, substance, or success can fill the void in your soul meant for Him. Jesus is the Way back. He doesn’t just tell us where to go, He comes to get us. But you must receive Him. You must stop running, stop resisting, and let Him take you by the hand and bring you to the Father.
“To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
Don’t Stay in Exile. You don’t have to figure it all out first. You don’t have to clean yourself up. Just come as you are. Come to Jesus—and live.
