People like to organize and plan things, and so does God. Our very creation and survival depend on the order of His gifts that brings life to us: air, water, and food, a remarkable reflection of God’s intentional design for human life. It highlights both our dependence on Him and the divine wisdom behind the hierarchy of necessities for sustaining life.
The Breath of Life
In the beginning, God’s spirit covered His creation, our world.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
The fact that air is the most immediate necessity also speaks to its spiritual significance. From the spirit of God, referenced in Genesis 2:7, it is written:
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
God’s breath is what gave humanity life, emphasizing that we are spiritually connected to Him at our very core. Without air, our body begins to shut down in a mere three minutes. This fact reinforces that breath is a gift from God, every inhale is a gift of His presence, and every exhale, is a reminder that we were made in His image, with the edict to be fruitful and multiple.
The Source of Life, Purification, and Renewal
In the Bible, God describes how moving air and water was immediately present, as soon as the earth was formed. Genesis 1:2 states:
“The earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters.”
For human beings, water becomes essential within three days, reminding us of its role in life, renewal, and cleansing. Jesus Himself said in John 4:14:
“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Water cleanses physically, just as the waters of baptism purifies spiritually. It is not only necessary for hydration but also a symbol of God’s grace that washes away sin and refreshes our souls.
The Sustenance Given by God
Then God said: Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. And so it happened. The earth brought forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw that it was good. Evening came, and morning followed—the third day.”
It is fitting that on the third day, God created humanities food sources. While humans can survive three weeks without food, the necessity of mankind’s nourishment speaks to God’s provision. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus reminds us:
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
While food sustains our body, the truth of God’s spiritual sustenance is even greater. The Eucharist in Catholic tradition is God’s ultimate feast, feeding us the Bread of Life, Jesus. Not only does Jesus provide us with food but with His divine presence and His lasting words of truth.
Together, these three elements, air, water, and food, illustrate God’s careful plan in creating us and His desire for us to recognize His presence in every aspect of our lives and in His order. He provides for us physically, mentally, and especially spiritually. Most importantly, this hierarchy reminds us that our ultimate dependence should not be on the unimportant things of the world, but on God Himself. Trusting that He provides us with exactly what we need to survive.
If this is my last post, I want all to know there was only one purpose for all that I have written; to have made a positive difference in the lives of others.
Anthony “Tony” Boquet, the author of “The Bloodline of Wisdom, The Awakening of a Modern Solutionary” and “The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, A Devotional Timeline”