God loved us and gave us everything to live in communion with Him. He gave us body, soul and mind, and the natural world and His own insight and authority to see His majesty. Praising His Name and living in communion with Him is the definition of life.
“1Then the Lord formed human beings from the dust
(Wisdom of Sirach 17:1-14)
and sent each of them back to it again.
2 He gave them only a limited time to live,
but he gave them authority over everything on earth.
3 He made them to be like himself,
and gave them his own strength.
4 He made all other creatures afraid of them;
he gave them authority over all the animals and birds.
6 He gave them their tongues, their eyes,
their ears, their minds, and their consciences.
7 He filled them with knowledge and understanding
and showed them the difference between good and evil.
8 He gave them his own insight
to let them see the majesty of his creation.
10 They will praise his holy name
and proclaim the greatness of all he does.
11 He made knowledge available to them
and gave them the Law as a source of life.
12 He made an eternal covenant with them
and revealed his commands to them.
13 They saw the splendor of his majesty
and heard the glory of his voice.
14 He warned them against unrighteousness
and taught each person how to treat others.”
This translation is from The Orthodox Study Bible. You can download the iOS App from App Store. Or you can find it on Amazon in Kindle and Hardcover formats.
References
Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology, Elk Grove, California. The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville :Thomas Nelson, 2008.
