Created In The Image Of God

Genesis 2
Here, we see the privilege and responsibility of being human. As well as the privilege - created in the image of God (1:26-27) - there is also the responsibility in relation to (a) the creation - 'farm the land and ... take care of it' (v. 15); (b) the Creator - 'you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' (v. 17).
Human life is lived within two horizons - (i) the temporal or earthly horizon: we have relationships with one another - 'It is not good for the man to be alone' (v. 18); (ii) the eternal or heavenly horizon: we are related to God. Human relationships do not satisfy us fully. There is a longing for God our Creator - 'He has put a sense of eternity in people's minds' (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
He has given good things to be enjoyed (1 Timothy 4:4). He has also created us to be 'inwardly renewed' by feeding on the 'things that last forever' (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

The Lord Our God, The Maker Of Heaven And Earth

Genesis 1:1-3
There is here a real sense of the majesty of God. He is 'beyond description'. We cannot comprehend Him. We can hardly put into words this sense of God's greatness. We are transported into an eternal dimension, which is so different from our earthly existence. We read, 'In the beginning, God ... ' (v. 1). Many live as if humanity was the only reality. Here, it is we who are absent from view. Here, we see God only. Humanity only comes into view when God chooses (vs. 26-27). Everything about this is God-centred rather than man-centred. The light comes when God says, 'Let there be light' (v. 3). Prior to God's Word of command in verse 3, we see the Spirit of God 'hovering' (v. 2). The Spirit is on the alert, ready to move into action, ready for the Word of God to be spoken, ready to empower the Word so that it becomes mightily effective. All that follows - described as 'very good' - comes from God, from His Word and His Spirit. Only good can come from God. The reality of evil has not yet come into view. When it does, everything changes except one thing - the love of God for His creation.