[Darris McNeely] As we read the Bible and study about God, we really do desire and seek to have a closer relationship with God and know more about God. I've been working on a program for Beyond Today about the nature of God and coming to understand God and Jesus Christ even better as they work Their purpose and plan in life. And, my attention was drawn to a Scripture that we all know in Genesis 2:7, "The account of the creation of man." And something just kind of sprung out at me there that I'd not really considered before reading over a very familiar passage. Let me read it to you, Genesis 2:7, "And the Lord God formed a man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living creature." In verse seven, now this part of the account of the creation of man in Genesis, there's a very intimate picture drawn of God by His hands taking man and out of the dust of the ground forming, shaping like a potter, as other Scriptures show, man into His own image, and then in a sense, kneeling if you will, and breathing in the breath of life, so that life comes into this inanimate form and a man is created in the image of God.

But you see, the hand of God, not only forming, but also no doubt laying His hand upon the man and breathing in, as this very close, intimate relationship develops. And it's a stark contrast to God as we see Him in chapter one of Genesis, in a sense, a bit distant, commanding light to be separated from the dark and forming the waters and the Earth in the creation accounts of the verses of Chapter one. Again, very powerful, very dramatic, very meaningful in God's creation of the universe and specifically Earth and its life forms. But when it comes to man, and the human creation, there's a very hands on, there's a very close, there's a very personal fatherly relationship that this verse is teaching us about that is there from the very beginning in God's desire and intent with His creation.

I think it's something for us all to think about. That is God's desire to have that close relationship with His human creation as a Father. And when we start right here in these opening sections of Genesis, it really draws us to that truth and I think it's encouraging and it's comforting and quite inspiring.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.