Adam’s first task
The 5 Verbs of Learning: Imagine
Download a printable Discussion Guide for IMAGINE: Days 1 to 7
Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 2:19
To imagine was the first job God gave Adam when he asked him to name the animals. He could have just dictated the names but rather he presented the animals and asked Adam what they should be called. By imagining their names, Adam became co-participant in the process of creation. I can imagine God enjoying what Adam came up with.
We may think the task of imagining belongs to someone else. Someone should just tell us what to think and do. Yet the practice of prayer, engaging the Scriptures and interacting in a nurturing community will continually fuel imagination. We should allow space for imagination to develop instead of working out all the details. People need permission to dream dreams about what God may want to do in extending His kingdom. We also need the protective boundaries of community, people who know and love us, as we imagine together. Imagining the wrong things can be dangerous but imagining God’s things can be transforming.
For Reflection:
- Why did God ask Adam to name the animals?
- How is imagination related to being vulnerable?
Make Life Count:
- Write down what God is inviting you to imagine. Sometimes putting it into words and sharing it helps clarify what you are sensing.
Thirsty for More?
- Read the abstract from N.T Wright’s Imagining the Kingdom. Consider how we may be too ‘Left-brain’ over ‘Right-brain’ thinking.
Imagining His Kingdom together…
