7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Gen 2:7-9 ESV
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Gen:2:15-17
I know I am moving slowly through the story of the Creation of Man, but there is so much for me to glean from these verses. This is our history. This is our origin. If you are like me and needing to get your compass pointing north, this is where you start. You start at the beginning. There is no other origin of man. This is it. We were created by a caring, meticulous God.
The garden had been perfectly prepared. The grandeur and the majesty had no comparison. Adam had all he needed in the garden that God put him in.
If you would permit me to write out this story in my own words:
The Potter gathered up the soil into His Hands and began to mold and knead the clay. He had spoken all other things into being. By His Word, mountains moved and formed and rose majestic into the blue sky. By His Word, the river flowed throughout Eden watering each plant and tree. He had spoken order out of chaos. The garden was useable. Everything had a purpose. The scene was breathtaking. Eden was an extraordinary and appointed garden. It grew the choicest specimens of the finest trees and plants. The garden had been perfectly prepared. It was user friendly. It was good. It was very good. The stage was set for the next creature to come forth from the Creator. “Let us make mankind in our own image, in our likeness,” the Potter spoke to his Son. With those words, The Potter dumped the clay onto the potter’s wheel and the Father and the Son worked hand in hand to form a body with head, ears, eyes, a nose, a mouth, arms, legs, a heart to beat, and lungs to breathe. They showed tender care and intimate concern in shaping man. His creature was finished. The body was complete. It was fashioned in Their likeness, but it had no movement. It had no animation. The Potter’s face hovered over the lifeless form. He bent forward nose to nose and mouth covering mouth; then He blew. The breath of the Almighty inflated the lungs He had just created and the form took on life. His breath was the infusion of the human spirit. The history of mankind had begun. The Father, The Son and The Spirit were jubilant. The man was exhilarated. Humankind was now a living symbol of the Creator on this earth. Adam was in God’s image. He was meant to be God’s likeness. The Creator gently carried Adam and set him down into the plush green grass of the garden. It was as if He was installing another fixture into this scenic garden. The Creator arranged Adam so that all would be at his disposal. God wanted Adam to enjoy his new home. God helped Adam to his feet. He watched on as man took his first step on planet earth. His legs wobbled a bit, but God held him up. Then they took a stroll. “Adam, see all these trees. I created them with beauty and the full spectrum of color,” Creator God explained. Adam had to touch each one. The Lord pulled a peach off one tree. “Here try this,” God handed it to Adam and showed him how to enjoy it. The Lord laughed as juice escaped down Adam’s mouth. With a broad stroke, the Lord circled indicating the expansive variety of fruit to eat from. “All of these, you are free to eat from. Any tree is yours for the picking,” God explained graciously. And then His Voice became stern. “But of this one you shall not eat. It is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” He went on to expound the dire consequences of eating from this tree. “For when you eat of this tree; you will surely die.” The Creator spoke with such vehemence. Adam knew this was no joke. The Lord God meant it. God knew that true wisdom came and flowed from Him alone and man must learn to soak in the wisdom that came from His mouth . “This is your home now Adam. It is your job; it is your purpose to work it and care for it.”
That is my version of creation and I am sticking with it.
This is what I learn about God from how He created:
He created all things beautiful.
He created all things with intention.
He created all things for a purpose.
He created all things with great care and tenderness. The restrictions He gives us cannot even compare to the goodness He graciously provides for us.
And He created me in this way.
And that my friends is my true north. It is your true north. We were all created with the tender hands of a loving God who has made us beautiful and for a purpose. He gives us boundaries because we need them. We were intentional, every single one of us.
What does it mean to you that you were created for a purpose and with intention? Reply back with your thoughts.
I loved your version! It’s hard to imagine that Adam received the first breath of life from God Almighty, the very first breath, Gods breath. I had never thought of that before. But as I think about it now I believe that each one of us at our own creation time receives that same breath from the same Almighty God. So remember your very existence is dependent upon “His” breath. The literal air that your breath belongs to Him.