Seeing Eden

Have you ever been through something long, hard, and painful?

And then, noticed that you found beautiful things more beautiful?

Now I don’t want to sound like an inspirational subscription service here. It does ring of triteness. But seriously, I was thinking about this during a walk this week.

I honestly don’t remember six years ago being as dazzled as I am now by the verdant green leafage that ballets in pointe backbend; being romanced by the royalty in the purple flowers spread throughout the foliage in my back yard; being astonished by the artistic detail of tiny green leaves that flutter on trees.

I don’t remember ever wondering if birds sing only when I can hear them, or if they also sing when I ignore them. Do they sing only when they are reminded of Eden by the lush plant life that rises in spring and early summer? Or do they also sing when our surroundings bear the mark of a desert in August?

Spring has a shock and awe effect when it comes right on the heels of the dead, lifeless drone of winter. For me, today’s drop-dead gorgeous surroundings stun me; perhaps because they’ve been contrasted with the fog that has clouded my vision while walking through chronic pain.

But further, hard things mysteriously seem to clear the scales off one’s eyes that once veiled beauty. Somehow, the process of walking in darkness opens the curtains that cover these eyes. Before, one sees feigned beauty, after, one sees authentic beauty. I wonder if we need the cold-hearted winter to open our eyes to spring.

Today I try to imagine standing in Eden; standing not only in breathtaking beauty, but also being able to see it for what it is…authentically beautiful. Eden has been wrenched by the effects of sin; but yet, God in His extravagant grace preserves some of its beauty for us to see. Maybe by gazing at it after a harsh, cruel winter, we can begin to envision what the winter of life will do for us; open our eyes to see the authentic beauty of the new heavens and the new earth.

Have you ever gone through anything long, hard, and painful? Or are you there, right now? All triteness aside, your eyes are being prepared to behold real beauty.---alg