The Eden Mandate: Tending and Keeping for the Kingdom
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
Genesis 2:15
TEND: A Call to Work and Serve
The Hebrew word abad (translated as "tend") means to work, serve, attend to, look after, watch over, and minister to. This is an essential part of our calling as humans. From the very beginning, work was given as a gift in Eden. It was never meant to be a burden but rather an opportunity to serve and cultivate what God has entrusted to us.
The word abad appears multiple times in Genesis:
Four times in Genesis 1-4 to mean till or cultivate.
Twenty times from Genesis 14 to Exodus 1 to mean serve or enslave.
This word carries weight. It was used in Exodus to describe both slavery under the Egyptians and service to God.
"And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant."
Exodus 6:5
"And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, ‘Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness’"
Exodus 7:16
This contrast invites us to refresh our outlook on work. Are we seeing our responsibilities as slavery or as sacred service? The truth is, work was given before the Fall—it is part of our divine purpose.
"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
Colossians 3:23-24
KEEP: A Call to Watch and Preserve
The Hebrew word shamar (translated as "keep") means to watch, preserve, hedge about, guard, and protect. Once we have done the work, we must stand guard over it.
"I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."
Isaiah 62:6-7
This responsibility is not reserved for a select few—it is given to all of us. We are each called to tend and keep what God has entrusted to us: our marriages, families, children, church, community, nation, and world.
It is important to identify what God has given us to tend and keep. Often, the list is shorter than we think.
Are the “Interruptions” Part of What We’re Called to Tend & Keep?
This question helps us discern our priorities. Noah is one of my heroes in this regard:
"Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did."
Genesis 6:22
Let’s pause and reflect: What has God given you to tend and keep? Are you doing it as a burden, or is your heart set on worship and service to the Lord?
Tending & Keeping for the Kingdom
What is the purpose behind our work? The Kingdom of God!
"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
Luke 12:29-32
The phrase "good pleasure" (eudokeo) means to take delight in, to think well of, to be well pleased. This is the same phrase used when God declared His pleasure over Jesus:
"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:17
Think about this: The very same pleasure the Father has over Jesus, He has over us as we tend and keep His Kingdom.
Letting Go of Fear
Too often, we allow our fears and limitations to hold us back. We worry that we are not good enough, that we have made too many mistakes, or that we might fail. But our fears do not impress God. They do not excuse us from the call to tend and keep.
In the Parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27), the servant who hid his mina said:
"Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you."
It’s time to let our fears be swallowed up in the good pleasure of the Father! He delights in giving us the Kingdom. Our work, our service, our tending and keeping—it is all part of His divine purpose.
Conclusion
Let’s shift our perspective on work. It is not slavery, but sacred service. It is not a burden, but a gift. It is not meaningless, but Kingdom-building. As we tend and keep what God has entrusted to us, let’s do it with hearts full of worship, knowing that it is His good pleasure to give us the Kingdom.