Do you ever read the Bible and just feel like the people are more like stories, fables, or just flat boring historical figures than real, living, breathing, thinking people like you see every day? I know the Bible is a true account of real people, facing real problems, and dealing with a real, intimate, loving God; but sometimes, honestly, I don’t read it that way. Sometimes the story just overshadows the people.
I want to get to that realness. The purpose of the series I’m starting today is to help us find a more personal connection to the Bible and those in it. I hope to use what scripture gives us to try to get to know these people; their struggles, their triumphs, what they may have been thinking, and most importantly, to see that no matter what they accomplished they are all just like us.
“Just like me?”
” Yeah, I don’t see me in a lion’s den, knocking out giants, leading armies, or calling fire from heaven!”
It’s easy to be intimidated by the vast amounts of faith often put on display for us in the Bible. I know it’s honestly terrifying for me. And while we may fully remember David’s sin, Gideon’s fear, Jonah’s selfishness, and Jacob’s trickery – how do we see them? Are these just lessons to be learned, fables to heed, the “one” negative thing about someone, or are they more?
Do we really look into this Book of Life and see life?
I figure a good place to start is the beginning. I’ve read Genesis many times, but somehow I always missed Adam’s humanity, until I went looking for it. Adam is the original. He’s basically the blueprint for all of us. When we look into Genesis chapter 2, we can really find a lot of information about Adam. Verse 7 starts very simply with the most basic and important distinction of all, Adam was more than the rest of creation, Adam was a “living soul.” When we read verses 15-17 we see basics of human life, a job, commandments, and consequences; the foundations of much of society today. As we read more though, we see God begins to paint a beautiful picture of a human being. He lays out for us needs, thoughts, and gifts. When we truly look for it we can rather easily see Adam is real.
“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’” Genesis 2:18 NKJV
So, God brings him every animal He has made and sees what Adam wants to call them. He names them all, but there is no helper for him. Let’s pause there for a moment. Adam named every living thing that God had created. Can you imagine? I wouldn’t be able to name the first, much less the last! My 4 year old though, he would have a blast naming them all. He’s a creative person, just like I believe Adam was. This shows us a beautiful ability God has given Adam, the gift to think, to be creative. If we’re made in God’s image, it seems to make sense we should be able to create, after all, He is the creator. Now, maybe you’re like me and you’re not conventionally creative, that’s ok. We learn throughout the Bible of the many different gifts and abilities God gives. It’s ok if Adam is better at naming than you are. And it’s ok if your artwork looks like that of a preschooler. 😉
Despite his creativity though, and this wondrous presentation we must come back to the reality of a simple fact, Adam’s need was not met from the rest of creation. That’s such a strange thought to me. I mean, everything must be perfect, what could you need? Just imagine, you have everything you could ever need to live and still, somehow, something is missing. Wait a minute, isn’t that how so many people live to this day?
You mean, you’re not surprised by this thought?
Reading Genesis it shocks me almost, until I think about the world today. I’m sure, that with God’s infinite knowledge He knew Adam was going to need someone, not just something. He knew that in all of His glorious creation something for Adam would be missing. I may be wrong, but I really believe He left us this as an example. Just consider it.
Anyway, so after the presentation and lack of a suitable helper God creates Eve from Adam. He calls her a woman and states “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” His statement says so much about this connection he has. This is a much deeper feeling than anything on the earth could provide before.
Now surely man has everything. He’s got a job, he’s creative, he’s got this deep connection, he’s capable of thoughts and feelings, he’s completely shameless, his burdens are light (if there even are any), and his life is perfect. His mind is clear. He has peace. Humanity is content in this moment in time, it lacks nothing.
This is how we were created. This is the foundation of who we were made to be. So, what’s stopping us from living a life that mirrors this moment? We’ll start on that next time, with man’s first recorded mistake. But I want you to take the time and look at your life. Look for the gifts and blessings God has given you. I could never write them all down and cover everyone and everything, they’re so numerous. Even though we live in a fallen world and not this perfect one outlined in the very beginning, we need to look at it and remember it. This sounds cliché but God really made you special, He truly did. And even though we may never get a moment in our lives as free as Adam’s he was real too. His moments are true, and this is how we were created.
What gifts did God give you?
How can you live a life more like the one God created us to live and less like the one of chaos, stress, fear, and exhaustion society has created?
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