Fully Devoted: Creationنمونہ

God Created Us

As modern readers, it can be easy to miss how intricately creation was crafted in Genesis 1. But when we look at this story in its original language, we can see its brilliant structure.

The majority of the creation story takes place over six days, with God's work completed by the seventh day. In the creation story, we watch God form the universe and then fill it. In the first few days, God forms—day and night; surface and sky; land and seas. Then we see God filling these spaces with good things: the sun, moon, and stars; birds and fish; and plants and animals on the land.

But then, on day six, the pattern seems to break. It is on this day—as the climax to the creation story—right after that familiar refrain, “And God saw that it was good …” when you would expect to hear that the day was coming to a close, God creates again. Why is this day and this creative act different? Because this is where we enter the story. The creation of human beings breaks the pattern because we aren’t meant to be like the rest of creation—we are meant to be like our Creator.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image ...” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them ... Genesis 1:26-27 NIV

The God of everything created human beings in His image. This means that every person has a spark of the divine—every human being was created to be a picture of God. This is true of all people.

This means that you are created by God with purpose, dignity, and value. And it’s not because of what you do, but because of the God who made you. Do you believe that about yourself? Do you believe that about others? If you don’t, then go back and read those words again because you stand apart from the rest of creation.

There are things about you that nothing else in the universe gets to experience. You are made in the image of God, and, as we learn in the next chapter, you are filled by the breath of God.

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 NIV

God sculpted us from dirt and breathed life into us. He created us in His image, filled us with His breath, and tasked us with the responsibility to partner with Him in ruling over creation. Each day before this, God would look at all He had created and call it good. But after creating people, He says something different—this time, He calls it very good.

Out of all the wonders of creation, God uniquely looks at us, and calls us very good. As human beings, God’s prized creation, we are made in His image, formed by His hands, filled with His breath, and given dignity, value, and purpose, that nothing in this world can take away.

Journaling Questions

• Write down a verse from today’s reading in your journal. What do these chapters tell us about what it means to be human?
• Do you believe you were created on purpose, for a purpose, by a purposeful God? Why or why not?
• What would change about your life if you saw yourself as God’s image-bearer?

Memory Verse

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 NIV