Before The Garden
The Love That Came First
“You loved Me before the creation of the world.” John 17:24
Where Our Story Begins
We often begin our story with Adam and Eve, a garden, and a choice that went terribly wrong.
But John begins with Jesus, the eternal Word through whom everything was made (John 1:1–3).
Our Creator’s Love didn’t begin when we needed forgiveness.
Before there was a garden—or anyone to walk in it—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were already sharing Life and Love.
Love Kept Coming
Adam and Eve hid, but God called to them and clothed them.
Their choices had painful consequences, yet the One they feared was still caring for them (Genesis 3:8–21).
I don’t want my failures to shape how I see my Father.
The God who clothed them gives me courage to bring Him what I would rather hide.
The Greater Gift
Paul acknowledges the harm of Adam’s disobedience, but when he speaks of Jesus, he keeps saying “how much more.”
Grace doesn’t barely keep pace with sin; it overflows beyond it (Romans 5:15–20).
The cross happened in history, but the Love revealed there did not begin at Calvary.
Our Creator gave Himself for us and rose again so we could share His Life.
The Love We Get To Share
Jesus prayed that the Father’s Love for Him would be in us, and that He Himself would be in us (John 17:26). We are invited into the very Love He has always known.
We are not merely the people something went wrong with. We are the people God created in Love and came to reconcile in Christ.
Our story began in Love; we get to make that Love visible in the way we care for one another.
Reflection
What has been shaping my picture of Abba?
Where can I receive His kindness today?
Who could experience that kindness through me?
Prayer
Abba Father, awaken us to the Love that came first. Let its tenderness become the way we love one another. Amen.