God Really Does Care

Genesis 2:4-2:22

Every person can see God’s care for them by looking at the actions he took in Genesis 2.

Introduction:

A little boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away. When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad's father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go. The youngster reacted tearfully. "But Dad," he pleaded, "all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go." The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, "All right, you may go." Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm. The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party. As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son's every step to make sure he arrived safely.

Unknown.

This is a picture of the way that God cares about us. There are actions in the second chapter of Genesis that demonstrate how much God does care for us.

Action I. He breathed life

A. As I look at the actions God took in the beginning, I can see many more efficient ways that he could have managed the world we live in. I don’t think that being efficient is really what God had in mind. If God was able to come up with the earth by himself, and he was able to make all of these things, it makes sense to me that he would have been much better equipped to maintain it himself. Really, all that man has done is messed things up. Instead, God has chosen to use man, and so he creates man.

B. In v. 7 we are told that God formed man from the dust of the ground. You sort of get the idea that he makes the form of man and then he breathes life into this man. That which was lifeless is now a living breathing thing. Without the breathe of God man would be nothing, but God breathed life into this first man. He made him from dust and he filled his lungs with air and the man came to life. God created a human being that was able to think, he is able to reason. He is able to create. He is able to sustain himself. He is made in the image of God.

C. When God reached the climax of his creation he chooses to make something in his own image. He did not make something really outrageous. He made man in his own image. It appears that the things that cause us to stand out from other creatures are the things that are features of God. He made us in his image. He has given us authority on the earth. We stand out among the creatures of the earth, because God has made us in his image. We are unique because of God.

D. If people did not matter to God we can see how many opportunities he has had to destroy the earth. Even in the time of Noah when he could have started with a clean slate he chooses to keep man. Noah and his family could have been killed just like everyone else. Humans are important to God because we are created in his image. That means we stand out in the world. When you look at another person you can know they are also created in God’s image, and that is an indication that God cares about people.

Action II. He planted a garden

A. It would be easy to skim over this section that talk about the garden, but we learn an important lesson. God know that man would have a need for sustenance, so he planted this garden. We can only imagine what this garden was like, but we know that there was an abundance of fruits and vegetables available to Adam there in the garden. In vv. 8 and 15 we are told that God placed Adam in that garden. The reason was so that Adam could eat. God planted this garden that was loaded with food and Adam is free to eat this food and make sure he is sustained. Of all of the trees in the garden, Adam is free to eat from all of them except for the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” God had told Adam that he should not eat from that tree.

B. Many people probably wish that God would have never created that tree, and given Adam that command. Imagine how different our world would be today if there would have never been a “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” We would probably still be living in paradise. But God put that tree in the garden so Adam would have a choice. He gave Adam a free will. He allowed him the freedom to choose, just as God has freedom. This is a part of God’s care for man. He loves us and he allows us to choose right and wrong. He does not dictate to us what we should be doing, but he guides us and allows us to make that decision.

C. Adam was given what he needed to survive and even more he was given the freedom to choose. God provided food for Adam through the trees, fruit and vegetables. He also provided for Adam by giving him the ability to choose. Through the introduction of this tree God gave man the ability to choose. We might not like the choices that have been made, but it is a freedom that God has given to us.

D. God takes care of us. God planted a garden so Adam would have food to eat. God still takes care of us today. Sometimes he provides in very dramatic ways by bringing food to your house at the very last minute. At other times it is his continual provision that gets us through. God does not always give us what we want, but he does provide us with what we need. We have become very spoiled in our world. Sometimes we have a hard time discerning between our wants and our needs.

Action III. He put man in the garden

A. When I was in college some of the guys liked to get someone who had been getting under their skin. They would surprise this person in the night, blindfold them, and drop them off in the country making them find their way back to campus. If you were familiar with the area, it might not be a big deal, but if you did not know where you were that could be a problem. I can imagine the victim of this prank feeling a little irritate and at the same time dazed and confused. I am wondering if this is how Adam felt. He had just been created, now he has to figure out how to survive.

B. In order to make this whole ordeal a little more tolerable God places Adam in the garden. In v. 8 and again in v. 15 we are told that God placed the man in the garden. We know this is where the food was, so it is no mystery why God would do this. It would be silly for God to plant a garden for Adam and then not tell him where the garden was. So God placed Adam in the garden.

C. There seems to be times when God will put us in places or situations for a purpose. We might not know what that is at the time, but perhaps later we can look back on it and understand why it happened. It requires trust on our part to have confidence that God knows what he is doing.

Action VI. He made woman

A. God has done all of this amazing creating. He has formed the earth out of nothing. He has made the land and the seas. He has created all of the animals and as his crowning achievement he created man. With each of these acts he says it is good. As we get toward the end of chapter 2 God sees something that is not good. He notices that man is all alone. He does not have a helper. In v. 18 it says, "It is not good for the man to be alone.” This is the first time we see God not being pleased with something. So in the second part of that verse he says, “I will make a helper suitable for him."

B. It looks like God has all of the animals come to Adam, to see if any of them would qualify as a helper for Adam. Even through this process there are no suitable helpers found for Adam. God was going to create a helper for Adam. This came about because God saw something that was not good and it was something that he wanted to have changed. It is really a powerful demonstration of God’s love for Adam. He sees something that he perceives as not being good. It does not appear that Adam thought it was bad. God saw it as bad and he did something to fix the problem. God cares a great deal about Adam; he did not want him to be alone.

C. How often do we have things happen in our lives that we don’t ask for, and maybe we don’t even think about them that much? These might be things God brings into our life to bless us or to protect us. That are things he gives us to take care of us. Maybe he sees that we are in need of something that we don’t even realize. God saw it and he took care of it because we are important to God.

Conclusion: