The pinnacle of God’s ordering of chaos in chapter one was the creation of mankind, created in his own image and given the responsibility of ruling over every other living thing that had been created.

Chapter two expands on this, describing how God placed Adam in the fertile garden he had created for him, and asked him to work it and take care of it, and then created Eve to be his companion.

The creation of order continues in this chapter. The Lord brings every creature before Adam and asks him to name them. He shows Adam the beautiful and fertile garden he has made for them to live in and expects that Adam will keep it in good order, maintained and well cared for.

The work that God gives to Adam here is not a punishment, but a blessing. Adam and Eve will benefit from what God has made, but they will not be idle. They will be partners with God in maintaining the beauty and the fruitfulness of creation. This work is a privilege. God even shares the privilege of naming all the creatures with Adam.

Even now, though chaos has returned to creation, God works in partnership with his people. Though he is our King and our Lord, we participate with him in the work of the Kingdom, and it is a blessing for us, just as it was for Adam. We pray, we share the gospel, we worship, we intercede, we engage in spiritual warfare – we are stewards of the gospel, just as Adam was a steward of the garden. While Adam worked to maintain God’s order, we work to see it restored.

Let us be joyful as we work together with God in his Kingdom. Let us accept it as a privilege to partner with the Lord.

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NEWBOLD COMMUNITY CHURCH