How was I made? - 8 June 2010

 ‘then the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life’
Genesis 2: 7 [NIV]

God used two things when he created human beings: skill and tenderness.  The word ‘formed’ suggest that we were fashioned skillfully and we only have to consider the complexity of our amazing bodies to concede that this is so.

But God also used tenderness.  The word ‘breathed’ implies something personal, almost like a kiss.  Our creation was an act of self-giving on God’s part, he imparted the ‘breath of life’.

I’m glad I wasn’t just skillfully made: I am more than a dazzlingly high-tech bit of biochemistry.  I’m glad that I was also tenderly made, brought to life with compassion.

God’s knowledge of me would be scary – after all he knows when I sit and when I rise, he perceives my thoughts from afar, he knows the words I will say before I say them (Psalm 139) IF it were not matched by his love for me.  I love the tender image of God ‘knitting me together in my mother’s womb’ (Psalm 139:13)

God’s incredible power and skill made me but God’s self-giving love brought me to life.

Stop and thank God for both of these things.