“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)
Adam, the first man, was hand crafted by God from the earth He had recently spoken into existence. After Creator had satisfied His artistic flow with this sculpture, He softly and lovingly breathed a song of life into his nostrils. Life!
God made Adam alive, both physically and spiritually alive! Have you thought of this? Adam possessed eternal life from his very first breath, and enjoyed the abiding presence of God in the Garden of Eden. Every nuance of life that God had declared for man was within Adam. He had had it all!
Furthermore, unlike the animal kingdom that operated by divine instinct, that is, programmed to act in certain ways, God created Adam in the likeness of Himself having a mind, emotions, and a will, giving him the ability to think, feel, and choose, and having the ability to enjoy an on-going, intimate relationship with his Creator. No other creature, created being, can make that claim!
When Adam possessed life, God again spoke saying, “It is not good that the man be alone . . .” so He created a fitting, appropriate, helper for him, one that was just, exactly right: Eve!
They both enjoyed an intense sense of belonging to God and to each other! Both of these relationship aspects are of extreme importance. The church is an expanded replica of the home, which God established; persons in intimate fellowship with God and with one another. As a church, one will not grow to intimacy by only attending a Sunday morning worship service. Intentional fellowship activities are necessary to grow into the fellowship God intended that we experience.
Not only that, God gave them a purpose: to rule (have dominion) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth (Genesis 1:26). In His creating, and placing them in the Garden, God made certain Adam and Eve had significance. They did not have to search for significance their whole lives; they had it in their relationship with God! In addition, because God was a real presence with them, they felt safe and secure. My friend, when you are walking in that relationship with God, you can enjoy the same!
Eternal life, identity, purpose, significance, security, and a sense of belonging are all attributes of man created in God’s image, who walks with God. Adam and Eve experienced all that God had desired man to have in Him –to the max! We, too, were destined to enjoy the same. However, when Adam sinned, he died spiritually and forfeited everything God had provided. Now separated from God, Adam’s former attributes became his desperate needs! In my journey of lostness, the things that Adam relinquished were all the things for which I desperately searched! I wandered through life striving to make a name for myself, seeking security in temporal things, and searching for significance while apart from God.
It was a hopeless quest until I established a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Everything I sought after, everything Adam enjoyed before he sinned is now mine to rest within. What about you, friend? Even some Christians are still searching for significance and security because they will not move beyond trusting for salvation to trusting for life. Live the life He gave you!
