If you’ve ever trained a puppy, you know the training never ends. Your first goal is, of course, to “housebreak” the dog: make sure it potties outside. Then you might try your hand at some basic obedience commands: sit, stay, come… Eventually you get to know one another enough that you respond to each other’s cues: the dog goes to the door so you know he needs out, you pick up your keys and the dog gets excited, hoping to go along, etc.
Somewhere in all of this training a relationship develops. The dog loves to snuggle up to you whenever you sit on the couch or likes to follow you around the house. When you come home the dog acts like a joy bomb just exploded. You buy them more expensive treats than you buy for other members of your family.
The point is, when you love someone, or something, it shows. The tragedy of the 1st sin is that it damaged a perfectly good relationship between God & humans. God lavished on us the best of the best, a whole universe to divine mysteries to explore and enjoy. We responded with mistrust and disobedience. Thankfully, we’ve been given an opportunity to rebuild that relationship because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Get to know our God, develop a rapport, love & trust Him. It won’t restore us to Eden but it will lead to eternity in heaven.
-Pastor Joel Everhart