A HANDMADE WOMAN

God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. 

Genesis 1:27

There were only two handmade people in history. Genesis says that God “formed” Adam from earth and Eve from his rib. He spoke everything else into existence, but people He chose to build, to model, like a sculptor making a statue. Except that no sculptor ever was able to breathe life into his or her creations!

Imagine God bending over the clay, carefully shaping Adam’s nose, creating each finger and toe, deciding how tall he would be and what kind of hair to give him.

Imagine Him later putting Adam into a deep sleep, taking a rib from near his heart, and fashioning it into the perfect partner Adam had been longing for, the most beautiful handmade woman the world has ever known.

Then imagine being Eve and opening your eyes for the first time. Hovering over you is the shining face of your Maker, beaming on you with love and joy. You sit up and take a breath. How beautiful everything is!

Then the Maker says, “Here, let Me help you up. There is someone waiting to meet you.” You take God’s hand and stand, not even knowing what a miracle you are, how amazing it is that your heart is powerfully pumping away and your lungs are extracting oxygen from the rich air and spreading it throughout your strong, perfect body.

“Adam,” says God, “here she is—the one made just for you, the partner who fits with you like two leaves on the same branch.” You look. Adam looks. Love at first sight, for the first and last time in the history of the planet. His smile, as bright as the sunshine, reminds you of God’s—his Father and yours.

The man says, “Finally! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh! Name her Woman for she was made from Man” (Gen. 2:23, The Message). “I’ll call her Eve,” Adam adds. “She will be the mother of all the living yet to come.” You take his hand and the two of you walk with your Maker to explore the fabulous garden home He has created just for you. Your life has just begun. It doesn’t even occur to you to doubt that it will last forever.

Creator of the human heart, You meant us to be so strong, good, and wise. You meant us to be like You. I am weak, faulty, and sometimes foolish. Your dreams for me are too bright for me to see. But I want to . . . I want to! Help me to open my eyes, to see You walking with me, to dream your dreams after You and know that there, I will find my true self.

And it will last forever, because I am Your growing child.