In today’s episode of Reformed Devotionals Daily, we turn to Genesis 2:4–17, where the creation story slows down and zooms in to focus on the formation of humanity. This passage presents a tender, detailed account of God shaping Adam from the dust and breathing life into him—reminding us that our very breath is a gift from God.

We explore how this intimate moment reveals the deep connection between the Creator and the creature, and how the Garden of Eden—lush with trees, rivers, and beauty—is a place of both abundance and responsibility. God doesn’t just form Adam; He places him in a thriving environment and gives him a calling: to work and keep the garden.

This passage also introduces us to two trees—the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Too often we focus only on the tree that led to the fall, but here we’re reminded that God’s generosity and intention for life are central. We reflect on why God sets boundaries, how work is not a curse but a pre-fall calling, and what it means to live within God’s good design.

As we meditate on the truth that we are formed from dust but made for relationship, the episode challenges us to consider the areas in our lives where we reject God’s good limits. And it invites us to remember the hope of the tree of life, which reappears in Revelation, pointing us to the promise of restoration in Christ.

Join us as we reflect on what it means to live as created beings in God’s world, dependent on His breath, nourished by His goodness, and guided by His wisdom.