As we considered God’s greatest creative accomplishment, human beings, in our Faith and the Arts Class this week, it became clear that God was very thrilled with the results! In Genesis 1:26-28, God says, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness… So God created humankind in God’s image, in the image of God he created them; make and female he created them.” And God blessed them! And God saw that it was VERY good!
It reminds me of a slogan I saw years ago that said, “I’M SOMEBODY, CUZ GOD DON’T MAKE NO JUNK!”
Then in Genesis 2:7-23 the account is somewhat different, but the message is the same. Here it says, “the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” And God placed man in the garden, created rivers for water and food from the plants and trees. Then God saw that the man was lonely for no animal or bird were appropriate for a partner for him. “So, the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called Woman,
for out of Man this one was taken.”
When we considered the Fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, the art historian, William Kloss commented that the artist had created the face of God and that of Adam in such a way that they appeared clearly to be father and son!
Secondly, there is equality between the male and the female—both are created by God, both are in the image of God. Male and female God created humankind!
Third, note that though God created animals of every size and shape, birds of the air, and creatures of the sea, none were suitable for a partner to the man. So, God got the idea of creating a woman, not of the dust of the earth, but out of the very rib of the man—making her unique and equal to the man so they could share life together!
Prayer: Thank you, God, for your creative gifts—including me. Help me to always remember I’m not junk for I am made in your image, and you have declared that your creation of man and woman is very good! Amen.