Explore: Made in his image

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Sept. 13 focuses on Genesis 2:4-9, 15-18.

I’m a hymn lover! One of the lesser-known hymns is called “Creator God, Creating Still.” An Internet search will yield the lyrics. The idea presented in the title is a great one. We often think of God’s creation as “way back when in Genesis,” but the reality is, God still is creating. And oh my, what a glorious creation it is.

Creation norm

When God created Adam, he followed a certain pattern of creation, sometimes called a “creation norm.” In Genesis 1, we see God “formed and filled.” For example, God formed the sea and then filled the sea with sea creatures.  God formed the land then later filled the land with animals. And notice from our lesson: The Lord God formed the 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). Did you see it? God formed the man from dust. God filled the man with the breath of life. The man started to live. It’s a creation norm.

And this same Creator God is creating still. Now, he’s not using dust anymore. He uses, well, I think you know what he uses. If not, call your mom or dad for the scoop. I love the imagery of Psalm 139:13: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Creator God Creating Still. It’s interesting God formed Adam with his own hands, from dirt God previously had made. Then, when God formed Eve, God yet again used something he previously had formed, Adam’s rib. And when Creator God Creating Still forms humans now, he uses something he previously created. (Again, ask your mom or dad for the details). The fact that God takes an egg from a woman and a seed from a man to form new humans is fascinating: God uses people to form his own creation.

He’s a life giver

I’m a huge M*A*S*H* fan. I watch one episode every day, almost without fail. In one episode, surgeon B.J. Hunnicutt, after saving a soldier’s life, proclaims, “I’m a life giver.” While I get the sentiment, it’s not theologically accurate, and that’s OK. But oh my, our Heavenly Father is a life giver. That wonderful Father of ours is still breathing life into wombs. This very moment, he is “knitting” thousands of hands, feet, lungs, brains and, most importantly, souls.

Henry Blackaby, in his famous study Experiencing God, proclaims because God created the soul—that unseen, hard-to-explain part of us—we all are created not for time, but for eternity. So, we can also proclaim about God that he’s an eternal life giver! Now, according to Scripture, many will spend eternity separated from our maker, those who never receive Jesus Christ as Savior. But he has made a way for every soul to spend eternity in God’s glory. The cross of Christ has the ability to redeem each and every soul. The greatest reality of heaven will be to see our Savior face to face, to worship him eternally, finally set free from this old sin-sick body and world. 

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Yes, Creator God Creating Still is creating for believers an amazing life now, as we wait for glory. Not life to the almost. Not life to the 90 percent or even 99 percent, but full, complete, whole life. In Christ Jesus, we perpetually experience God breathing his breath of life into us. When we follow his ways, even though we will have earthly trouble, that trouble will be conquered by the prevailing goodness of God in our lives.

I’m a totally different man

The church I lead is a “turn-around church.” I firmly believe God pours out supernatural blessing on churches that empower their members toward a missional lifestyle. Therefore, we do a lot of mission work! One of our strategic church partnerships is in an impoverished village in El Salvador. Our sister church there is just a few years old. Because of poverty, poor sanitation and tainted drinking water, the people of our sister church are sick perpetually. 

We send a medical mission team there at least annually. One man who goes every year is Karl. Karl is a man among men. He’s tall, dark, handsome and built—a rugby player. He’s been a policeman, EMT, paramedic and now is an ER charge nurse. Today, we were discussing his missional lifestyle. After going to El Salvador on medical mission a few times, he started serving once a month in Austin at “Church Under the Bridge.” It is what it sounds like. Then he took on a major responsibility for Church Under the Bridge.

With eyes starting to swell with tears, Karl said, “I’m a totally different man.” He went on to explain how, since serving in these significant ways, his eyes have been opened to the needs of the world around him. As he described, a calloused heart has been turned into a tender heart. A heart that yearned for solitude from people now yearns to go to the needs of people. “My life is so full,” he said. Karl is the poster boy for the radical, life-changing power of discipleship.

And so it is in God’s kingdom. Creator God Creating Still is still breathing “life to the full” into hearts. He still is forming souls and filling lives. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust? Yes. But also stitch to stitch and life from Way, Truth and Life.

Application ideas for your Bible study group:

1. Look up and read the words of Creator God Creating Still to your group.
Ask, “In what ways is God still creating? What is God still creating in your own soul?”

2.  Read the story of Karl to your group.
Ask, “Who in this group has experienced a missional life change? What was that like? How are you still different from doing a mission endeavor?”

3.  If you want to be radical, consider challenging your group to serve at a local ministry at least quarterly. A soup kitchen, after-school program, local prison ministry or local food pantry would all be eye-opening and life-changing.