I recently traveled to Costa Rica with my kids and wife. We saw one of the mountainous areas, Monteverde, where zip lining first began, and took off in popularity. After a winding approach from the coast, we were greeted by sweeping views of the cloud forest. We did a zipline canopy, complete with driving rain as we sailed down the longest lines I’ve done. We also did a cacao, sugar cane and coffee tour which was so enjoyable.
Our 2nd stop was the coast, Manuel Antonio. We had some beautiful views in the National Park, and from the beaches. I had a great encounter with a group of monkeys. Even saw a mother caring for her young.
I could speak for days on what made the trip special. But I’m focusing on its resonance with my book. With so much protected land there, I felt like I was in Eden in some of those spots. Everything grows in their climate, so you see all types of flowers, both wild and planted by homes and parks. You see trees like palm, banana, plaintain, mango, and coconut to name a few. One guide even showed us the tree from whose fruit citronella repellent is made. We saw cacao, coffee, rice, and spices. What a lush setting. June is green or rainy season, and everywhere, it’s colorful.
The beauty of the trees and plans is special, yet I must mention the animals living there. Aguti, Coati, Macaws, sloths, multiple monkeys including squirrel, capuchin and howler, lizards, butterflies, and the list goes on.
While I had so much fun exploring nature and doing adventurous tours, it was the spice tour that put “Eden” squarely in my thinking.
It is so fascinating what health benefits are in nature! We saw each of these growing on an organic farm called Villa Vanilla.
Cardamom
White and black pepper
Ceylon cinnamon
Allspice
Turmeric
Ginger
These have many properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and many others.
Why is the presence of restorative properties in nature important to our view of creation, and to the Garden of Eden God prepared for Adam and Eve? Some of these spices and plants were cultivated many centuries later than original creation, at least historians say so. We don’t know exactly what vegetation was present there in Eden. But we do know that these beneficial properties reflect what God set in motion in the Garden! God wrote into the creation what we needed for life!
The things needed to combat disease and to sustain correct body levels in the blood, heart, muscular systems, must have all been present, because of what God says about their food. God gave them every fruit and tree in Garden for their nourishment.
Gen 1:29-30 NAS
Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every animal of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.
He gave to humans and to animals green plants and fruit from trees to eat. “It shall be food for you.” What He caused to grow for them was His provision for the needs of their bodies, and the lives of the animals also.
So the next time your body has a need to repair itself, turn to nature for a treatment. I’m not against doctors. I have a great one and listen to his counsel for my health. But God had provision for our physical needs before there was anyone trained in medicine. It’s available in what He made. Indeed, the plants and trees in Eden were placed there for man. And the fact that He ordained those things for us as good for food is further evidence we were Made for Eden.
