"Dirt + Holy Spirit = People" - January 8, 2024

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 1, 2, 3; PM Psalm 4, 7; Gen. 2:4-9(10-15)16-25; Heb. 1:1-14; John 1:1-18

The second story of creation has some pretty powerful implications.  God takes the dust of the ground to make man.  The literal Hebrew translation is God formed [‘ādām] (which means man) out of [‘adāmâ].  ‘Adāmâ might be best translated ‘dust from the fertile soil.’  And then God breaths into ‘adāmâ and we have a living breathing human being.  The dust from fertile soil plus God’s breath equals humanity.  Maybe a better formula is “Dirt + Holy Spirit = People.” 

God takes some earthy clay and makes the most beautiful of all creations with a little breath – humanity.  

There is much more than meets the eye in this passage.  Eco-theologians have written extensively about the intentional human connection to all of creation.   We could probably unpack this one passage for an entire year and not distill all the wisdom this passage has for us and live a life grounded in living out God’s desire for us to be connected to each other and all of creation.  It evokes a specific relationship between place and people.  However, let’s take just a very simple statement:  God takes dirt and makes the most beautiful creation to ever exist.

This is the first reflection I have written in this new year.  A transition into a new year often evokes reflection on the past, what we have done, and what we have left undone, with a hyperfocus on how this year can be different.  Just as the earth is fertile ground teeming with the potential of all creation, the messiness of our lives is also fertile ground.  How can we move beyond guilt and shame of our past experiences to allow real transformation and growth in our lives?  Maybe it begins with recognizing the Creator’s ability to bring life out of dirt, a reminder that creation is always taking place, and our very lives are fertile ground. 

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  What holds you back from growth?  What negative experiences do you hold on to in an unhelpful way?  How could those be catalysts for change?