[vc_row height=”small” el_class=”dailyBody” css=”.vc_custom_1465516518912{margin-top: -25px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][us_image image=”16718″ size=”tnail-1×1″][ultimate_heading main_heading_color=”#5fc8d7″ sub_heading_color=”#5fc8d7″ alignment=”left” main_heading_font_family=”font_family:Allerta|font_call:Allerta” main_heading_style=”font-style:italic;” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:16px;” sub_heading_style=”font-style:italic;,font-weight:bold;” sub_heading_font_size=”desktop:16px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:15px;” sub_heading_line_height=”desktop:22px;”]

You have been created with purpose in mind

[/ultimate_heading][us_separator height=”20px” size=”custom”][us_sharing providers=”email,facebook,twitter,gplus”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Nearly every culture has maintained some sort of narrative about how the universe and humanity came into existence. Many ‘myths’ attempt to explain both how life came into existence as well as its purpose. For example, in ancient Mesopotamia, Enuma Elish suggests the god, known as Marduk, fought his rival, Tiamat, and defeated her in battle. After tearing her body in two, he used one half to fashion the heavens and the other to create the earth. Subsequently, Marduk executed Qingu, for the crimes of this demon god, and mixed the blood with clay to make humanity. Marduk declared, “I shall compact blood, I shall cause bones to be, I shall make stand a human being, let “Man” be its name. I shall create humankind, they shall bear the gods’ burden that those may rest.” According the Enuma Elish, human beings are created to serve the gods and give them rest.

When the author of Genesis writes the Hebrew creation narrative, he would have been aware of Enuma Elish. He doesn’t intend to address the questions of the new atheists nor does he address issues of science or discoveries by the Hubble Telescope. Those things hadn’t happened yet. However, the Genesis account was written to rival and correct the erroneous ideas of the nature and character of gods that were rampant in the Ancient Near East. During those days, culture was infiltrated with paganism and entrenched in polytheism. Therefore, Genesis speaks into this world with a resounding declaration. Listen to the words of the author of Genesis 1:26-27:

26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Here, we notice several differences from the competing creation myths of the day. First, there is one God who creates the earth and every human being in it (Acts 17:24-27). Second, people are not created to serve the gods, but to serve alongside God – to partner in his endeavors. Creation is for people to inhabit; it is designed for their well-being and for them to commune with God. Third, people carry the image of God. Now, what is true of God’s creation narrative in Genesis 1, is true of you as well. You have been created with purpose in mind – created to partner with God as a steward of his creation. You have been designed to carry his image by representing him and reflecting his nature and character. You have been birthed from a place of love and desire. Spend some time today reading through and meditating on Psalm 139:16-19. Try to take in the wonder of God’s hand in your unique design.

 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
    O men of blood, depart from me!

-Psalm 139:16-19

[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Ryan Paulson

[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]

  • Subscribe to be notified when we publish
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

[/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]