Day 365: Four Gardens (a poem from the Garden Tomb)

41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 
John 19:41

Through the Bible: Revelation 19-22

We come to the end of our one-year journey through the Bible, and in the grand narrative of Scripture, we end up where we started: in a garden. In n Genesis 2, God placed Adam and Eve in a garden, in the center of which was the Tree of Life. In Revelation 22, the Apostle John is shown the new Jerusalem. In the middle of the city, there is a river. A river with the Tree of Life growing beside it, bearing a different fruit for each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations (Rev 22:2).

In other words, a Garden.

The story of the Bible is anchored by gardens. The fall of humanity was in a garden. The passion and resurrection of Jesus were in gardens (see John 18:1; 19:41). And in the last page of the story, we eat freely from the tree of Life in a Garden.

In February 2022, I was sitting in the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem when this poem began to take shape. I finished it on the way to the airport the next day.

Four Gardens

Once, in the cool of the day, God walked into a Garden; 

Where a serpent hissed, 
and man hid, 
and half eaten fruit lay fallen on the ground. 

Adam, where are You? said the Father. 
And the man was driven out of the Garden, 
head down, 
condemned.

Once, in the dead of night, Jesus walked into a Garden; 

Where Judas lurked, 
and disciples slept, 
and sweat like blood fell to the ground.

Father, where are you? cried  the Son. 
And Jesus was led out of the Garden, 
head down, 
resolved.

Once, at the dawn of the morning, Mary walked into a Garden; 

Where angels sat, 
and rocks were split, 
and soldiers fell stunned on the ground.

Jesus, where are You? Said Mary. 
And the angel said, He is not here. He is risen. 
And Mary ran from the Garden, 
Head spinning, 
believing.

Soon, at the last trumpet, I’ll stand at the gate of a Garden;

Where water of Life bubbles, 
the Tree of Life blooms, 
and paving stones  like gold lie shimmering on the ground. 

Child, here you are!"  says the Father.
And I am led into the Garden, 
Head high, 
redeemed.