“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.” (Genesis 2:7)
Humans did not develop by chance, but were purposefully and lovingly formed by God. As a potter takes a lump of clay to mold it into a beautiful pot or vase, so God took dust from the ground to make a human being. Then God breathed life into him by blowing into his nostrils. Isaiah 64:8 (ESV) refers to this:
“O Lord, You are our Father;
we are the clay, and You are our potter;
we are all the work of Your hand.”
The name of this first man, “Adam”, recalls his origins. It is derived from “Adamah,” the Hebrew word for ground or land. The first woman was also created by God, from one of Adam’s ribs. She was given to Adam as a helper and was perfectly suited to him.
All people born on earth since then are descended from this first human couple.
In the coming days, we want to read about and reflect on the question of what our origin—as people created by God—means for our lives here and now.
In the verse from Isaiah, not only Adam and Eve, but “we all” are called “the work of God’s hand.” Does this match your view of life? What does that mean for your relationship with the Lord God?