Daily Devotions
Genesis
"You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet…" Psalm 8:6
Text: Genesis 2:1-25
THE BREATH OF LIFE
There is a subtle but significant difference between the way God created Man and the other living creatures. Only with reference to man were these words applied.
“and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living being.”GENESIS 2:7
Only man had this special touch from the Lord. This set him apart in more ways than one. That which was once only “the dust of the ground” became “a living being” through this tender act of God!
A SPECIAL GARDEN-HOME
Lovingly God provided for Man his first home. How bounteous was His provision.
“The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there
He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground
the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight
and good for food.”GENESIS 2:8-9a
How gracious and loving God was toward Man. What more could he wish for?
WORK ENTRUSTED
Lest we think that God was “spoiling” Man, giving him the best of everything, let us note the following text where God was described as having entrusted some work to Man so that he could occupy himself and utilize his time meaningfully.
“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the
garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”GENESIS 2:15
God designed man to work! There is much dignity in work, no matter how humble or menial that work may seem to be!
THE FIRST COMMAND
God created two special trees in the garden of Eden. One was called “The Tree of Life” (Genesis 2:9b). The other was called “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:17).
Very strict and clear instructions were given to Man not to partake of the fruit from the latter tree.
“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it,
you shall surely die!”GENESIS 2:16-17