Genesis 1:26-27 And GOD said, Let US make man [humanity] in OUR image, after OUR likeness…[King James Translation] So GOD created man [humanity] like HIS MAKER, Like GOD did GOD make man; Man and maid did HE make them. [Living Bible Translation]
Genesis 2:7 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 soul. [King James Translation]
Summary
Most of us have heard the creation story thousands of time. Many of us grew up with Bible children books and pictures depicting stars, the sun and the moon, water, animals, fish and eventually the man and finally the woman depicted as molded figures from clay. But this is “the children’s” version of creation.
What the Bible tells us is that humanity was created in two stages.
Chapter 1:
The first chapter of Genesis discusses GOD creating the spiritual nature of humanity. The Bible says humanity was created like HIS MAKER, GOD. John 4:24 states:
GOD is Spirit, and HIS worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. [New International translation]
So, if GOD created us to be like HIM, we too are spiritual beings.
Our “spirit” is often associated with the “deepest nature” of “who we really are.” Spirit is associated with our ability to connect with our Maker, GOD. GOD “sees” our deepest thoughts, what is in our heart. HE knows our spirit. We interact with GOD spiritually—through prayer and in faith. That is why expressions and statements like “Loving GOD with all your heart,” “Loving your neighbor as yourself,” “Being honest with yourself,” “Losing my moral compass,” or “Falling in Love With GOD*,” have meaning.
There is a part of humanity that is beyond what we see or touch with the physical human eye. Our spirit defines our connection with GOD in ways that the physical (i.e., how we act and appear) cannot. While we may deceive others with what we may do or say, we cannot deceive GOD. HE knows our spirit.
There is no spiritual gender preference. GOD created spiritual humanity---“male and female.” GOD is no respecter of persons or gender. Romans 2:11
Chapter 2
The second part of the creation of humanity involved the “physical” creation of humanity. This physical creation was not from earthly clay, but from “dust.” Humans are not potted plants—formed from the soil or rich earth. We can’t sit in the sun, do nothing and be health and grow. Nor are we molded from clay, as many of our children’s books suggest. GOD created physical man from “dust.” Genesis 3:19 states “you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” In an article, “Where Does All The Dust Come From?, it was noted that the grey dust that we see in our homes (perhaps 70%) is probably mostly human skin, since humans shed skin cells and replace them with new skin cells every month. See, http://www.scienceshorts.com/Ssw/051217.htm.
We also know from studying human anatomy that the human body is “wonderfully made” (Psalms 139:14) and that we include: water, muscle, brain, lungs, kidney, tissue, stomach, sensitivity to pleasure and pain etc. All of these various parts are complex and essential to the well-being of the whole body.
Both the physical and the spiritual parts of who we are require proper maintenance.
WILL WE FEED OURSELVES WELL?
Now that we know “WHO WE ARE,” the next question is what will we do about ourselves? Each of us can ask: What will I do to maintain my physical self? What will I do to maintain my spiritual self? Wednesday is a day each of us can ask these questions and more, including:
- How many days do I eat a balanced meal?
According to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition:
Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.
http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/why-is-it-important/ - How many days do I exercise my whole body?
The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition states:
Physical activity provides long-term health benefits for everyone! Regular physical activity can produce long-term health benefits. It can help:
• Prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke (the three leading
health-related causes of death)
• Control weight
• Make your muscles stronger
• Reduce fat
• Promote strong bone, muscle, and joint development
• Condition heart and lungs
• Build overall strength and endurance
• Improve sleep
• Decrease potential of becoming depressed
• Increase your energy and self-esteem
• Relieve stress
• Increase your chances of living longer
Id.
3. How often do I pray and feast on the WORD of GOD
On May 16, 2016, CNN ran a special report entitled: “Going to church could help you live longer, study says.” Researchers
looked at data on nearly 75,000 middle-aged female nurses as part of a nurses’ health study spanning a period from 1992 to
2012. Some of the findings of the study were that:
o Women who attended church services had lower rates of death
o The women had higher rates of social support and optimism and lower rates of
depression
It was noted that doctors are increasing aware of the importance of religion on the well-being of their patients. Although the study did not study men, it was noted that “Previous research suggest that male churchgoers also benefit…,” http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/16/health/religion-lifespan-health/
These are not new findings.
In “Why People Who Pray Are Healthier Than Those Who Don’t,” Richard Schiffman reported that if you want to achieve maximum health, there are a few things you might do: “exercise regularly, eat nutritious, minimize processed foods, drop those extra pounds---and pray.”
Studies have shown that “prayer boosts the immune system and helps to lessen the severity and frequency of a wide range of illnesses.” See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-schiffman/why-people-who-pray-are-heathier. Prayer and THE WORD OF GOD, are part of the recipe for health and well-being.
REASONABLE SERVICE
In Romans 12:1, the Apostle Paul pleads that we offer our bodies to GOD as a living, holy sacrifice, the kind HE can accept. Paul says this is our “reasonable service.” Wednesday is a day of such service. It is a day when we strive to eat right, exercise, minimize bad food choices, drink water, study the WORD of GOD, and pray. It is a day when we try to be who GOD intended us to be. It is a day of sacrifice.
So today, remember who you are and BE BLESSED!
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*Falling in Love With GOD: Reflections on Prayer, is a book by Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr.
