"Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person."

Genesis 2:7

Human beings come from the dust of the ground. We are of this earth, made from the gritty stuff of creation. Yet we are also a product of God's own breath, the breath of life. Thus we embody both earth and heaven. Our essence is not just immaterial spirit, but a unique combination of matter and spirit. Our earthiness, like our heavenliness, is part of God's perfect design.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you ever think of yourself as embodying the very breath of God? What difference might this make in the way you think about your life?

PRAYER: Gracious God, you have created us as a marvelous combination of earthly dust and divine breath. We are part of your good creation. And, in a special way, we contain your divine life. Help us, Lord, not to deny our full humanness, either by neglecting the value of our bodies, or by ignoring your divine presence within us. May we offer all we are to you this day. Amen.