7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. – Genesis 2:7

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. – Genesis 2:15

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” – Genesis 1:28

When God formed man he created him to live forever and thrive as God’s image bearer. Man’s role in the garden was to work the garden and protect it, to be fruitful and multiply and take dominion of the earth. The Hebrew word for “living creature” in Genesis 2:7 is the word “nephesh.” Nephesh is the soul. It is the eternal essence of who we are. It is our center, our true self. We were created a “living being” that “lives.” The soul is the connecting point with all that is invisible and spiritual in nature. It is the part of you that makes you a living spirit. It is what comes alive at salvation. It is the “new creation” that you are. It is what was dead toward God and is now alive by regeneration of the Holy Spirit. 

Genesis 1 and 2 show us that God originally designed man to be a living being (nephesh) that lives for all eternity producing God’s life and love throughout all creation. This is part of what it means to be God’s image bearer. Jesus tells us to love the Lord with all our soul. In other words, we are to live every action of all lives for the full glory of God. In order to do this we must go back to the creation mandate and be fruitful and multiply. In essence, we are called to thrive! Thriving now in this present life happens when we live for eternity, rather than the temporal.

Contemplate this question: “Who has God created (your name) to be?” Meditate for three min on this question in relation to the Scriptures above in Genesis 1 and 2. Think about who you are as a child of God, a son/daughter, a father/mother, a sister/brother, a friend, a neighbor, a student, employee  etc. 

Now, ask yourself, “Am I thriving and living to the full in who God has made me to be? Am I loving the Lord with all my soul?” 

Spend time laying your thoughts before the Lord.