The LORD God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7 NET
Genesis contains two distinct creation accounts. In the first one, God’s creative work was via the spoken word. God commanded, and it happened. But in the second account, the creation is more personal; it is the work of an artist.
God formed man from the soil of the ground. He planted an orchard (Gen 2:8). He formed from the ground all the animals and birds (Gen. 2:19). And he crafted a woman from the part he had taken out of the man (Gen. 2:22).
While the first account expresses the grand scope of God’s creation, this second one looks at the loving care God took in making us and providing for us what we need: a place to live (Gen. 2:8), work to do (Gen. 2:15), food to eat (Gen. 2:16), and companionship (Gen. 2:18, 22-23).
God worked in this chapter as a master craftsman, shaping and forming his creation with love and care. He got his hands dirty. And after he had formed us, he breathed the breath of life into us. And we became living beings.
I am thankful for the one who has shaped and given me life according to his design. I may be a bag of dirt. But I am his bag of dirt and rejoice in what he has done, is doing, and will do in my life.
