We Were Created to Respond to the Word

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness ...” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

Just as the worlds were framed by the Word of God (Hebrews 11:3), so were we. And like the world, we were created to be responsive to the Word of God. Seeing that we were created in the image and likeness of God — that is, to be like God — how much more responsive we should be to His Word.

Certainly, we should be responsive in our spirits to God's Word. But even our bodies, being made of the natural substance of the world, respond to it:

Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
Their soul abhorred all manner of food.
And they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His Word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.

(Psalm 107:17-20)

The Roman centurion understood the authority of the divine word, that even our bodies respond it. He came to Jesus, asking Him to heal his servant. Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). Jesus' response to him shows how important it is to understand this concept: “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel ... Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you” (Matthew 8:10, 13).

The Lord Jesus Himself is so closely identified with the Word of God that He is actually called The Word — the source of the world and everything in it:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made though Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)

He is our creator, and we were created not only to respond to Him, but to enjoy fellowship with Him.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life — the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us — that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. (1 John 1:1-4)

You were created to be responsive to the Word of God and to fellowship with Him. 

Created to Respond to the Word of God

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

The world was created by the Word of God. They are also upheld and sustained by the Word of God, the “Word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). Therefore the world will always respond to the Word of God, which is its source.

The prophet Isaiah understood this, for He recorded these words from the Lord:

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth;
And make it bring forth and bud,
That is may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

(Isaiah 55:10-11)

The natural elements of snow and rain fall from the heavens and do not return to return to heaven without accomplishing their intended purpose on earth. The Word of God is the same: It will aways do what God desires for it to do; it will always be fulfilled. The earth will always respond to it.

The apostle Paul also understood that the world responds to the Word of God. He gives the example of Abraham, who staked his destiny on that fact.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” (Romans 4:16-18)

Though Abraham had no children, and he and his wife were long past childbearing years, God spoke the promise, Abraham believed it , then the old, fruitless bodies of Abraham and Sarah responded to the Word, and their son Isaac was born to them, who became the father of many nations. That is how the Word of God works — it is creative! God calls those things that do not yet exist as though they did, and they come into existence. The whole world responds to His Word.

Everything consists of the Word of God and must always respond to it.