Devotions with Pastor Jerry

Dust-To-Dust

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7

I have often wondered why boys especially; have such an affection to dirt and mud. They can be clean and spotless one minute then the next, look like the Charlie Brown character Pig Pen.

I grew up on a farm in Nebraska where some of my fondest memories always involved dirt. Playing in the garden with my toys, walking barefoot through the mud and most of all the day I spent with my old red wagon fastened by a rope; pulled behind the tractor in the corn field as my father cultivated it for the last time of the growing season. The corn stocks were over four feet tall, towering above me sitting in that wagon, with the leaves slapping me in the face as we sped through the corn field. The dust was so thick I could barely see the back of the tractor and ever so frequently at the end of the rows I would have to pick up the wagon, empty out all the dirt and quickly carry it around to the next row, set it down and jump back in. This went on hour after hour. By the end of the day you could not tell the difference between a lump of dirt or me, unless I opened my eyes or mouth to show a little white mixed with the dirt.

It was one of the happiest times of my life, being pulled in my wagon, playing in the dirt, and more importantly being with my father.

It could best be expressed as a relational attraction: 1 Corinthians 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. We are related to the man made from dust and more importantly to the one who created the dust, breathed His Holy breath into it creating us, setting us apart from all other creations, made into the very likeness of the heavenly man.
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Romans 9:20-21O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay

What an honor to be the dust that was used by the Creator to form the clay into you and I, into a precious vessel of His image. And yet no two vessels are exactly alike, rather each created for God’s perfect purpose. All that is required of us is to yield to the purpose, allowing God to do all the rest.

So, to answer the question why do I like dirt? Because God created it, formed it, shaped it into you and I and called us His own, with His Holy Spirit breathed into us.

May He pour out His Grace and Love upon you and give you Peace, both here and in the not yet.

And Oh, by the way, take time to pick up a handful of dirt, and say hello to God’s creation, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.