Dwelling in God’s Presence Through the Fruit of the Spirit

Setting The Scene

In the opening pages of Genesis, we find humanity in a unique location, Eden. In Eden there was a garden. But it wasn’t just any garden. This isn’t just a garden in the way we might picture it; Eden was where God walked with humanity (Genesis 3:8). Where His presence was as natural as the air they breathed. It’s here that Adam and Eve experienced perfect peace, trust, and love in their relationship with God and each other.

But after the decision to turn away from God, humanity lost this unhindered access to Eden. Yet, if that sounds like a sad ending, think again.

Read Genesis 2 and 3

Adam and Eve have just eaten the fruit from the one tree God told them to avoid. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad, setting their fate in motion. Now, we find them confused, afraid and hiding among the trees as God approaches.

Exploring the Meaning

Let’s explore a few key Hebrew words to uncover nuances that reveal just how special the Garden of Eden was. 

The word “heard” (שָׁמַע, shama) is about more than just hearing sounds. In Hebrew, it means a sense of paying close attention to or recognizing something meaningful. 

What was so meaningful? 

In Hebrew, “sound” (קוֹל, kol) can also mean “voice”. This might suggest that Adam and Eve weren’t hearing only a familiar noise of God walking through the garden. Rather, they heard His voice.

A voice of walking. Odd, right? Let’s tie this all together.

Genesis 3:8 says that God was walking in the garden in the “cool” (or breeze) of the day, but the original Hebrew word, רוּחַ (ruach), actually means “spirit” or “wind.” What if this “cool breeze” is more than just a comfortable evening air? What if it’s actually describing the Spirit of God filling Eden, moving freely on His way to meet with Adam and Eve?

If so, Eden wasn’t just a paradise on Earth; it was the dwelling place of God’s presence—a holy, special space where humanity lived in the completeness of God’s Spirit. This “Eden life” was marked by a peace that came from being fully known, fully loved, and fully present with God.

After eating from the one tree that God had set apart as off-limits, Adam and Eve try to find cover among other trees in the garden. This action highlights their immediate response to sin. Seeking comfort and security, but in the wrong place. Instead of turning back to God in repentance, they attempt to hide among the very creation that God entrusted to them.

Like them we often find ourselves seeing even the good things in creation as a potential escape from God, not as a reminder of His presence.

Here’s the Good News

Jesus came to give us access again to the type of relationship with God that Adam and Eve enjoyed in Eden. Through Jesus, we’re invited back into God’s presence, but this time it’s not a physical garden. God plants a spiritual "garden" in us through His Holy Spirit, and the cultivation is through the Fruit of the Spirit, which Paul described in Galatians 5:22-23.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Cultivating Eden Within Us

But why did Paul use the metaphor of “fruit” to describe these qualities?

Because the Fruit of the Spirit isn’t just a list of good traits to work on. It’s the produce of God’s presence in our lives. When we live close to Him, His Spirit grows these “Eden-like” qualities in us, filling our lives with love, joy, peace, and more.

Imagine the qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit as seeds of Eden’s wholeness. Through the Holy Spirit, we’re invited to cultivate these fruits within ourselves and, in a way, multiply Eden’s presence wherever we go. This isn’t just about self-improvement or becoming a better person. Growing the Fruit of the Spirit means living in God’s presence, letting His Spirit shape us and work through us. 

Bring It Home

So, how do we “dwell” in God’s presence today?

Psalm 91 opens with, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” This phrase, “dwells in the shelter,” calls us back to Eden, where humanity first lived with God’s presence all around them, a presence as natural as the air they breathed.

Just like in Eden, dwelling with God means more than just being near Him. It’s about remaining close, allowing His Spirit to be the source of everything we do. Psalm 91 promises that God’s presence becomes a place of protection and peace—a “shadow” of refuge. This is the life Jesus invites us back into. A life of security, fruitfulness, and trust in God.

When we dwell in God’s presence, the Spirit grows His fruit in us, reflecting Eden’s harmony. It’s not just about our own peace but about bringing this “Eden life” to others through our love, patience, kindness, and joy. By abiding in God’s presence, we’re growing the very qualities that reveal God’s kingdom on Earth, just as He intended from the beginning.

Remember this: Our “dwelling” is a daily choice to rest in God’s Spirit, allowing Him to turn our lives into a living Eden, filled with the fruits of His love and presence.