THE ORIGINAL GARDEN

​In the mid 60s, Hervanta (part of Tampere city) was originally intended to be built as a garden city. This great idea was messed up and destroyed by multiple different plans and desires. But do you know where this garden city idea came from in the first place?
It's God's idea! In the Bible chapters Gen 1-2 we find the original plan for humans; the image in which they were created and the environment in which they were planted. The conditions were perfect at first; People enjoyed life and fellowship in all its fullness without any inkling of evil or corruption. They lived together in peace and harmony. Not only was their physical condition perfect, but also their mental health and capacity was excellent. A life without worries or physical or mental distortions. WOW! And not only that, their environment was also perfect and produced everything they needed for life and enjoyment. Can you imagine? This was the original plan, the GARDEN that people still long for.
 
WHAT DESTROYED THIS PERFECT PLACE? 
The short answer is the Fall of men. The first couple, Adam and Eve, fell into the temptation by the lie set by the father of lies, Satan. First couple wanted to define for themselves what is right and wrong. They decided to disobey their Creator and create their own rules and lifestyle. This lead to great suffering, corruption and even death, not only for their lives but for all future generations. Even nature was corrupted and has been suffering ever since. As a result, Adam and Eve were sent into exile from this beautiful garden. They could not live in that perfect place because they were now imperfect, marred by sin and disobedience to their Creator. They carried death within them. 
 
Now comes the bad news: you have inherited the same problem! We humans also live in exile, as refugees trying to survive in this broken world and make the most of it while we live. But nothing in this broken world can satisfy our inner beings. We have eternal souls within us and nothing perishable can satisfy that. God has placed in our hearts the desire to seek something that will last and fulfill our inner longings. The OT book Ecclesiastes chapter 3:11 puts it this way:
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
 
So we are all looking for something that we actually lack and living conditions where there is no more death or impermanence. Our inner longing is to strive to fill this void. The problem is that we cannot solve this problem with by our own efforts. Many have tried with different religions and worldviews, bringing even more destructive results to this world. The sin problem can’t be resolved by any human effort. We need someone who is not part of this problem and is able to deal with our toxic nature. We seek the way home. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
Rom 8
19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
 
IS THERE ANY REDEMPTION TO THIS TRAGIC SITUATION?
BIG YES. God, the Creator, promised to solve this problem by sending a seed that would incarnate into a perfect human being (Gen 3:15). This perfect man would live a perfect life and fulfill all that the first men could not do and live. He would not only live, but die for mankind! By dying, he paid the penalty and redeemed people from their guilt and debt. As the Old Testament foretold in many places, this perfect God-man would not only suffer for the people, but also rise from the dead. So yes, there is redemption for men, but how can it be obtained?
 
RETURN
To get back to God's original plan for you, He is calling you to make a U-turn, to start going in the right direction toward God. The key is to turn to the One who made the Way and means to be recreated as a new you. He is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He holds the keys of life and death and victory for those who come to Him. This applies not only to your life now but also to your future life, your eternity.
 
THE GARDEN CITY
What about that original plan, the Garden? God has prepared a new world, the Garden City, that is free from all the corruption we experience here on the fallen earth. This is the place we long for and wait for. The door is open to those who come there through Christ Jesus. There is no other way, and therefore your greatest need is to come to Him and ask for forgiveness of your sins and let Him guide you in this life and in the life to come. Have you heard the call to become a member of this new citizenship that surpasses all other kingdoms and countries?
 
The most important knowledge you can get here in this broken world is that the door to God's eternal Garden, Heaven, is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you already know Him?
 
Revelation 21
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”