Humans: Wonderfully and Fearfully Made

This blog will conclude the “barnyard series”.  Though there are many other animals mentioned in the Bible, I will end with this last one – the Human. You may think it strange that I would include a human in the barnyard, however no barnyard would exist without a human to oversee the animals, the feeding, the training, the nurturing…the dreaded cleaning out the barn.As we begin – just a few fun facts about humans.

• Your eyes have the fastest muscle in your body and they blink around 20 times a minute.
• Your ears never stop growing! However, while your ears never stop growing – your eyes remain almost the same size your entire life.
• The tongue is covered in about 8,000 tastebuds, each containing up to 100 cells helping you taste your food!
• You produce about 40,000 litres of spit in your lifetime.
• On average most people’s heart beats 2.5 billion times if they reach the age of 70
• Your body contains about 100,000 miles of blood vessels.
• Only into Humans did God breath life.

As I said above, the barnyard depends on humans.  If we look at the Creation event, we know that God gave the responsibility of taking care of the animals to humans. For all of us who have ever had a dog, cat, horse, goat, sheep, cow, bird or any other animal, we know there is joy we experience through the relationship we have with our animals. I believe that joy can be traced back to that directive given in the garden. Though the work of taking care of the animals is often hard and painful, our lives are more complete when we make space for God’s creatures. So, whether you are brushing your dog’s coat every day or keeping the bird feeders full for the beautiful singing birds you are fulfilling God’s creation will for your life.But the purpose of humans is much more than being caretaker of the barnyard.Isaiah 43: 6b-10 states: “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”  “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”Scripture says God created us for His glory and to be His witnesses. Scripture instructs us to “do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). In the New Testament, “glory” carries the sense of dignity, honor, praise, and worship. Putting these two together, doing something for God's glory means recognizing His splendor and majesty and giving Him the appropriate dignity, honor and recognition since He alone deserves our praise and worship. Not only are we to take care of the babies born in the barnyard, we are to shout from the mountain tops the glory of God. If the world isn’t seeing God, it’s our fault. We have failed to carry His image in such a way the world can see Him through us.How do we glorify God in everything? We mirror His image, which is to love, and to love generously, as He does. We mirror His image which is to forgive and forgive extravagantly. No one can glorify God as perfectly as Christ did, which is why we need of His mercy. But to believe in Jesus is to believe not only what He did for us but in the wisdom of the life that He modeled for us. To believe in Jesus is to carry His image and bring Him glory, whether we are fulfilling the chores in the barnyard or singing praises with the Angels. May we be those who show the world the real God of gods.