God's Garden: A Story of Life Together
Daily Scripture
Genesis 2:4-25
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. On the day the Lord God made earth and sky— 5 before any wild plants appeared on the earth, and before any field crops grew, because the Lord God hadn’t yet sent rain on the earth and there was still no human being [Or man (Hebrew adam)] to farm the fertile land, 6 though a stream rose from the earth and watered all of the fertile land— 7 the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land [Hebrew adamah] and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life. 8 The Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east and put there the human he had formed. 9 In the fertile land, the Lord God grew every beautiful tree with edible fruit, and also he grew the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river flows from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first river is the Pishon. It flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 That land’s gold is pure, and the land also has sweet-smelling resins and gemstones. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It flows around the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris, flowing east of Assyria; and the name of the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 The Lord God took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to farm it and to take care of it. 16 The Lord God commanded the human, “Eat your fill from all of the garden’s trees; 17 but don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because on the day you eat from it, you will die!” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It’s not good that the human is alone. I will make him a helper that is perfect for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the fertile land all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky and brought them to the human to see what he would name them. The human gave each living being its name. 20 The human named all the livestock, all the birds in the sky, and all the wild animals. But a helper perfect for him was nowhere to be found.
21 So the Lord God put the human into a deep and heavy sleep, and took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh over it. 22 With the rib taken from the human, the Lord God fashioned a woman and brought her to the human being. 23 The human [Or man (Hebrew adam)] said,
“This one finally is bone from my bones
and flesh from my flesh.
She will be called a woman [Or wife (Hebrew ishshah)]
because from a man [Or husband (Hebrew ish)] she was taken.”
24 This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they weren’t embarrassed.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
We may think of Genesis 1 through 3 as just one “creation story.” When read carefully, the stories show substantial differences. “If we take a step back from the details, we see that not just the order of events is different—the whole ’feel’ of Genesis 2 is different.” * “The focus turns from Elohim (the generic name for God used throughout Genesis 1) to Yahweh (the personal name by which the Israelites addressed God…. This is the name used for God throughout Genesis 2 and 3).” **
- If we read Genesis 2 as scientific history, it would conflict with Genesis 1. “In Genesis 2… one human (“the man,” a.k.a. Adam) is created before vegetation (2:5–9) and before the animals, which Adam names (2:19–20). When it was clear that no suitable ‘partner’ for Adam could be found among them, only then does God create the woman from Adam’s side (2:21–25).” *** How did this second story teach important archetypal ideas about how humans relate to God and one another?
- We can compare Genesis 2 to creation stories from the Mesopotamian peoples around Israel. In those, selfish gods created humans to do all the work they wished to avoid. Genesis said God made people for a loving relationship, and gave them a garden, a perfect setting in which to thrive. What people or things has God worked through to nurture and nourish you? Who does God give you the chance to nurture and nourish, and to help find insight and/or healing from life’s wounds?
Prayer
Lord God, thank you for the world you have created for us to enjoy. Give us faith to keep in mind that you are the creator of all that is, while at the same time valuing the insights of science. Amen.
GPS Insights
Amy Oden
Dr. Amy Oden is Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality, teaching at several seminaries. Teaching is her calling, and she looks forward to every day with students. Her book (Right Here, Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness, Abingdon Press, 2017) traces ancient mindfulness practice for Christians today.
There are 2 key moments in the account of creation in Genesis 2:4-25 that shape my understanding of myself and the world, which is what Scripture is meant to do. These key moments that tell me who I am (and who we are) as a human being and beloved of God.
The first moment is when God forms the first human being from the soil (Gen 2:7). Being made of soil means we humans are not separate from earth or the rest of creation, not something dropped out of the sky, but a species formed from the very ground we walk on. The soil itself (humus) reminds us of our earthiness (human). When I forget I am made of soil, then I forget that I’m a creature and I’m more likely to forget I (and others) have needs that must be met in order to flourish. I’m more likely to treat myself (and others) as a machine that should keep going no matter what, because machines don’t need food, rest, fellowship with others or delight. When I forget I’m from the soil, I forget that I’m not self-made nor self-sufficient, but a being created by God. I start to think I have made everything in my life happen through my wits and skills alone. Being a creature formed from the soil means recognizing my Creator, not me, as the Source of my life. The Genesis account of creation calls me to remember again and again my earthiness and the One who made me.
The second key moment for me is God breathing “life’s breath” into the first human being (Gen 2:7). God breathes life into humans, animating our bones and sinews. This picture of God as not only Maker but also Breather, helps me see my life as something God is breathing through, breathing me (and all creation) to life. I am not the Source of my own breath, I don’t earn it, I don’t check it off a to-do list. I can neither make my breath happen nor stop it from happening. Every single breath I take is God’s doing and is sheer gift, a rhythm of grace opening up my chest approximately 20,000 to 22,000 times a day! Each breath is a new moment of astonishment!
I spent the first 40 years or so of my life baffled about prayer, what it is, how to do it, why it matters. Now, breathing itself is my prayer. When I bring my awareness to my breath, acknowledging the Source of life breathing through me, breathing is an act of awe and worship, a practice of astonishment and gratitude that I am here at all.
Today, let’s be earthy and breathe. This is our prayer unceasing!
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Enns, Peter; Byas, Jared, Genesis for Normal People (Second Edition w/ Study Guide) (p. 31). The Bible for Normal People. Kindle Edition.
** Hamilton, Adam, Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today (p. 191). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
*** Enns and Byas, Genesis for Normal People, p. 31.
