Open "In the Garden" 487 RR 797 Title "Prayer in the Garden" Close "A quite place " 503 I had someone read the story of the Hymn "In the Garden" This morning, I am going to ask you to use your imaginations again. I would like for you to concentrate, closing your eyes if you wish. I want you to see yourself in the Garden of Eden. Everything is peaceful. You have spent a day moving around this paradise training vines, eating delicious fresh fruit, watching the animals play, arranging your special living area, and talking with your spouse. There is not a worry in your mind, for there is nothing to worry about. The climate is perfect. Your body is perfect. No pain, no discomfort. It is time for rest, your body tells you. Not because you are exhausted, but because it is time. But before that happens, you wait expectantly for your bedtime story and goodnight kiss. Because, your Creator has a regular appointment with you before rest, to come down and chat with you, share some new thought, ask for feedback on another day in the Garden. Can you feel the sense of anticipation growing as you know the time is near? Perhaps you have picked some special fruit so that you can share a meal while you engage in leisurely conversation. You have some questions to ask, and some discoveries to tell of. Together you and your spouse have come to some of your own conclusions, but you want to hear what HE thinks about it. You never know just where He is going to come from. He may come strolling in from one direction or the other. Or just suddenly be there. Or He might come in a cloud of glory. No matter how, it was a moment that you cherished each day. And the time that you spent filled your heart with happiness and contentment. Today, more than preaching to you, I wish to have you spend some time in thought about your spiritual life. I probably do not need to remind you that we are focusing on the topic of prayer this quarter. There are a number of things that we could pray for very appropriately. However, I believe that the first thing on our list needs to be the quiet connection of God in relationship. I wish that I could transport you back to the actual garden, where we in our sinless state could marvel at the attentions of our Creator. But we recognize that sin has affected the possibility of that happening in the flesh. However, I truly believe that we can enter into that garden of communication in our minds. Using somewhat the words of "In the Garden", I want to help us understand that there is a place where we can meet our Savior on a regular basis. And some of you are aware of that already. So before we go any further, I want to ask you to spend a moment or two contemplating either where your garden is, or where you plan to find a garden. Is it a room, a place, a state of mind. After spending a minute or two thinking about it, I want you to record your thoughts on the paper that is in your bulletin. ------------------------ Does anyone want to share where their "garden" is? ----------------------- Now that you know your garden, you need to know what you are listening for. Genesis 2:8 is a passage telling the story of what happened after sin entered the world. Yet in this sad tale we find the remnants of how things were before sin entered the world. It says: "And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." Before sin, this walking and talking was a common occurance. Here the text records how that happy time had been corrupted forever. The voice of God had become painful to them not a joy. But the pain of the loss of innocence was attacked by the Love of God for His creation. He come after the sinner, calling, pleading. And He is doing that for you right now. However, He is the reason that we come to the Garden. When he uncovers our hurts, he also brings healing. When He shows us our shame, it is only so that we can watch Him cover it with the blood of His sacrifice. Now it is time for the next part of your assignment for today. Go into the garden of your mind right now. Can you do that? What is your Creator telling you about just the two of you? Listen a moment for His voice. ----------------------- Was anyone impressed with a thought that you feel the Spirit of God put there? ---------------------- I want to share with you a few sentences from Patriarchs and Prophets. "(Adam and Eve) were not only children under the fatherly care of God but students receiving instruction from the all-wise Creator. They were visited by angels, and were granted communion with their Maker, with no obscuring veil between." "In the surroundings of the holy pair was a lesson for all time--that true happiness is found, not in the indulgence of pride and luxury, but in communion with God through His created works." "So long as they remained loyal to the divine law, their capacity to know, to enjoy, and to love would continually increase. They would be constantly gaining new treasures of knowledge, discovering fresh springs of happiness, and obtaining clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the immeasurable, unfailing love of God. {PP 51.1}" Communication with God is a privilege that we can still enjoy. The enemy knows this, and trys to keep us destracted. Let's continue to look at what the Hymn tells us. The second verse tells us of the joy that we can expereince as we engage in this garden expereince. Have you ever meditated on what God wants for you? He wants only good. He wants the best for His children. He desires to give us good gifts, more than we can imagine. From the outpouring of His Holy Spirit to a world made new. But He wants to be aware enough to ask Him. I want you to take a moment now and try to imagine what your God wants for you. From reading scripture what good things do you know that He wants for you? ------------------------ Anyone want to share what you remembered? ----------------------- The last verse of our hymn tells of the parting time. Is your prayer life so real that when the special time stops you feel sorrow? I am not speaking of the continual attitude of prayer time, but that time when you focus on your beloved. When just the two of you join hands in a journey of spiritual growth. I believe that when we really learn to pray, the time we spend away from our Savior will be time that is spent anticipating our next personal connection. "Prayer is communion with God. It is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him." {ST, July 15, 1908 par. 1} Prayer today should be as close as possible to what it was in the garden of Eden. Friends talking in a conversational manner about the events and situations surrounding them. Opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Talking about the cares, concerns, joys, and discoveries of this life we are given. I challenge you to try the 3 steps of prayer that we have spoken of today. See what that does for your prayer life. 1. Find your secret garden. This may be the hardest. 2. Listen for the voice of God. Remember "conversation" goes 2 ways. 3. Meditate on the good things that God has done for you. And thank Him. When you connect, the joy that you expereince with God there in your garden will surpass all that you can imagine. Are you willing to look for that place, and seek Him?