We humans don't understand the mind of God.  I've often wondered why he created animals at all.  Were they for us?  That seems to be the reason.  But some animals, like lions, tigers, rhino's and such, seem to be here just for themselves.  And yet, the food chain that now exists, will begin to suffer and die if you are not able to sustain this diversity.  Predators, and tiny bugs, all have a place in the ecosystem.  All life is from God.  And He is getting ready to design a caretaker for this life.

God's third creative act is man.  Not just any man--this creature has a unique capacity that the other animals don't have.  He has a place within himself--think of it as a chamber--that will hold the very breath of God.  No other animal has this capacity.  This "man" is in God's image.  God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...So God created man in his own image...male and female created he them." Genesis 1:26-27.

Why?  That is the eternal question.  What did he want from something, someone, in His image.  Why weren't the animals enough?  Like I said, we humans don't understand the mind of God.  But here we are.  Living and breathing on the earth.  I find it utterly ridiculous to think that we evolved.  The human body is a miracle of intricate parts fused together into a functioning whole.  Everything we know about physics denies the possibility of evolution.  We are perfectly created.

"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."  Genesis 2: 7

God gave us His breath.  That was His original plan--to fill us with Himself.  Designed to hold Him, his Spirit.  Able to communicate with Him--made in His image.  He intended for us to live with Him forever.  But we, created to make decisions and think for ourselves, did the one thing God said not to do. We disobeyed.  (All sin is disobedience.)  Adam, and we, denied--and continue to deny--the Creator's supremacy over us.  We want to rule ourselves.  We've done a terrible job of it.

Free will is a blessing and a curse.  We don't behave as the animals do--through instinct--for the purpose of  survival. An instinct is a unique behavior.  We choose our behavior.  Humans have no instincts.  (I'll discuss that tomorrow) We choose to do behaviors that destroy us.      (Continued....)