Notes of Faith December 14, 2023
God Isn’t Afraid to Get Down in the Dirt
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
— Genesis 2:7
The story of creation is an incredible one. For so many reasons. But mostly — at least for me — because it shows so beautifully the unmatched worth we have in God’s eyes.
God spoke everything into existence, which is a whole mind-blowing thing all on its own: “Let there be...” and there was.
God was balanced between time and eternity — forming galaxies, zebras, mountains, and starfish with His very words. He spoke, and they were created. Something out of nothing.
When it came to His creation of humankind, however, He changed things up.
Instead of speaking us into existence, as He did with everything else, He chose to form us in His own image.
I close my eyes: “Fearfully and wonderfully,” He made us (Psalm 139:14). I’ve seen pictures of some pretty amazing sand sculptures, but I’d say that God’s takes first prize.
And then He breathed into us.
Face-to-face, we inhaled His exhale. Our first breath came from the very mouth of God. I cannot even fathom the worth — the wealth — of that breath of life.
Regardless of what I feel, God never leaves me.
When my life is a mess or it feels like there’s no end in sight to the challenges I’m facing, it’s easy to think that God is far removed from it all. When the nights are long and the darkness closes in, His presence doesn’t always feel very present. But just as He was with Adam in Genesis, He is right here…in the dirt with me.
Regardless of what I feel, He never leaves me.
He never forsakes me. He doesn’t just watch me from afar; He sits right down in the messy chaos with me.
When I remember that He made me in His image, it’s easier to trust that He is intimately involved in my life, even when I can’t see Him. And it makes me want to open my eyes wide and look for Him in unexpected places.
Like right here in the dirt.
Pray that you will remember to look for God where you normally don’t expect to see Him. That you will feel His presence in new and intimate ways.
That you will experience His matchless love and let that overflow onto those around you.
God, You are close, as near as my own breath. Today, I pray that I will reach out for Your hand and embrace Your presence in each moment.
Excerpted from Prayers to Help You Thrive, copyright Zondervan.
Except Jesus, there is none who have known the intimate closeness of God. He is always with us. It is we who have wandered away, sometimes far away. May we know the breath of God that gave us life and continues to uphold us in every moment!
Pastor Dale