God is a creator. He created light, heaven and earth, the galaxies, mountains, oceans, stars – everything! Out of nothing, God spoke and brought the world into existence. God created marvel after marvel building towards the capstone of His creation – mankind. Everything that God made, He proudly declared to be good. So with that, He set the stage by creating a garden and creating man. Why was mankind God’s crowning achievement? Why did He proclaim that every part of His creation was ‘good’ then declare that humanity was ‘very good’. Because mankind was created in God’s image.
Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
As image bearers, we were created for two main reasons: for fellowship and for partnership. First, we were created to have fellowship with God in the Garden. Second, we were created to share in the work of God, to partner in sharing God’s glory, and to participate in His kingdom work.
Because we were made in the image of God, we were designed to share many of the same attributes as God. We were entrusted to exercise rule and dominion over creation. Authority was given to humanity to work the earth and subdue it. In the Genesis account, God reiterates to Adam that the plants and animals were given to him and under his chain of command. Simply put, Adam was in charge of the Garden.
Assigning names to animals, cultivating the land, and managing this majestic ecosystem are a few examples of God giving man a stage to carry out the character of God. Men are made to be leaders because God is a leader.
Adam was not only created by God but he was given a desire to do good works like God; he was created to be like God. The garden was specifically built for Adam to work and participate in the character works of God. Several of God’s divine qualities are inherent in human nature: wisdom, love, justice, mercy, compassion, morality, and discernment. In God’s goodness, man was placed on earth and given a clear role to play. As image bearers, we are given the inner desires to do His will, to do good works, and to see the benefit of those good works!
John 15:1,5
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.
In John 15, God gives us an illustration of how we are to do good works. He is the Gardener, Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. All three are connected. The Gardner (God) created the garden and sends the rain; the Vine (Jesus) provides the nutrients to the branches (mankind). Man was built to bear fruit. Fruit that would last. For that to be accomplished, man must stay connected to the Vine! We were created for two reasons: to have fellowship with God through the Vine and then join in the mission of God and bear fruit! Fruit that will last! So our joy would be made complete! In other words, the first man was created, put in a garden which was created by God, and then empowered by God to bear a lot of fruit so that man’s joy would be made complete.
John 15:11
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Our joy, God says, would be made complete! God did it ALL! Man, the Garden, the Vine – all so that you and I could have complete Joy! We are God’s prized possession. We were created to be in relationship with God. He didn’t create us and place us on a shelf like one would with a dormant trophy. Because we are so loved, God created us and wants us to stay connected in that fellowship then share in the rewards and joy of His creation!
How is this done? How does man achieve the complete joy that God talks about in John 15. Man must stay connected to the Vine. God desires to fellowship and bless us but we must share that same desire. The creation doesn’t say to the creator ‘I don’t need you.’ As we see in John 15, branches that become disconnected from the tree are cut off and thrown in the fire and burned! The two must remain connected. God, the Gardner, created the tree, waters it, and expects it to bear fruit. God never fails at His job.
Have you ever seen a man that withers? My dad was like that. He had little to no fruit in his life. Seldom did I see him experience true joy and unfortunately over time he withered and eventually died! God does not want us to wither. We were built to have true fellowship, create good things, have joy and love without becoming disconnected. While God can exist without us; we can’t exist without Him! Relationship, participation, reward, and joy were all planned out before we were created.
If you’re reading this and feel like you don’t understand or maybe you aren’t connected to Him – God is stirring up those thoughts and giving you the energy and will to find Him! God wants to be known. When man (the created) seeks the Creator, He doesn’t hide!
Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Like the branch, if you’re still breathing – you haven’t been cut off of the tree yet. If you’re still getting water, you have the ability to bear the kind of fruit that will last and give you joy and peace. Many men and women bear earthly fruit but never have a real relationship with the Creator, yet they seem to be okay! This is only because God is waiting patiently for them to realize the origin of their blessings. As children, we received toys to enjoy, yet those toys could never substitute for the longing to spend time with our father. This is why we were created. Our Heavenly Father created us to be in a relationship with Him. We are blessed with His inner qualities and set apart to do great things. We are His creation and He is our Father.
Good fathers want to do good things for their children. He wants us to bear much fruit; fruit that will last not just on earth but in Heaven. As a branch, we must stay connected to the Vine and in so doing, we return to fulfilling our responsibility of taking care of the garden where real accomplishment, joy, and peace are found. Where did this all start? With our Creator’s desire to have a relationship with His creation!
Have a blessed week!
Steve Thomas