You’ve probably heard the salvation story before.

Man sinned and a sinless Jesus died in our place taking on our sin so we could spend eternity with God in heaven.

The story begins with sin and ends with eternity in heaven. That’s how we normally tell it anyway.

Here’s a different way to look at it. This totally changed my perspective on the story when I came across it.

The salvation story begins with creation and ends with restoration.

Let me expand on that.

God’s creation was beautiful and very good.

But after some time we wavered, lost sight of the beauty and gave into temptation.

The result was the fall – separation from God, beauty and the garden.

Then Jesus came.

He redeemed us.

He redeemed us, not only so we could live eternally in heaven but so that we could live restored lives.

Beautiful lives.

Lives like we lived while in the garden.

And we can begin those lives here and now.

We don’t have to wait for eternity in heaven.

Pretty cool huh?