Creation

I was looking back over some old blogs and I came across something that I want to expound on this week. Let’s talk about creation.

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Message

I was looking back over some old blogs and I came across something that I want to expound on this week. Let’s talk about creation.

I wrote the blog 6 years ago while at summer-camp with the scouts. Then, as I like to do now when I am out camping with the scouts, I would get up before anyone else and grab a cup of coffee and meet with the Lord. It really helps set the tone for the day.

Not to divert too much, but it is important to daily spend some time with Jesus in the Bible, in prayer and meditation on scripture. It really sets the tone for the day and you will have an amazing perspective to view the rest of your day. We encourage you to start each day with Jesus, even if it is just a few minutes.

Back to summer camp 6 years ago. We were at a great summer camp out in the forest and mountains of Washington State. I loved going down to the edge of the lake and watching the mist float above the lake. I enjoyed listening to the early morning birds singing their songs. I watched the fish jumping for bugs on the surface of the lake. There were ground squirrels and other small animals scurrying about.

The camp did have a chapel that was really nice. But it was built by the hands of man. I was worshipping the Lord and spending time with Jesus in God’s temple, creation. Nothing man creates can come close to comparing with what God creates. Acts 17:24 says:

(24)  “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.

Genesis chapter 1 details the creation of everything we know. When you read Genesis chapter 1 you read how God created the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the birds of the air and animals of the field, and everything else. The amazing thing is he created all this by speaking them into existence. I find that utterly amazing.

By just speaking the words, all of creation came into being. Every animal, every plant, every ecosystem, every grain of sand and salt, every drop of water, and more. God created this amazing world that all works together and is dependent on everything else by speaking it into existence and he engineered it so that all parts fit and were necessary for the whole system’s survival; even mankind’s.

Look at the beauty and intricacy of the feathers on a bird. Notice the colors and song. It is magnificent! Only God could create like that. Only God could make something so beautiful and fully integrated in our whole world eco-system.

This is what I think about when I compare a chapel made by man and God’s chapel in nature. Nothing man creates can come close to comparing with the beauty and function of what God creates. But that shouldn’t stop us from creating.

That’s the second thing we want to point out. Let’s look at Genesis 1:26-27

(26)  Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  (27)  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

When God created mankind, we see two important things. God created male and female in His image. He created both. God always had a plan to create man and woman. Neither is complete without the other. The other important thing we see in these two verses is God created them, male and female, in His image. We believe that means we have been imparted with God’s heart and soul. God is the Creator. We believe that is part of us as well. We are creators.

We are always trying to build something new. We are trying to build something better and bigger. Some are trying to paint a masterpiece, or write an amazing novel. Some are creative in building processes and procedures. In all cases, we are creators because we have been created in the Master Creator’s image.

The thing to note is we will never be able to match what God can create. That should not stop us from creating all we can to the best of our ability and creativity, but know that God is the Master Creator. Creation is his masterpiece. We are a part of that masterpiece. We have a role and a purpose in it. Let’s live that way.

Let’s move on to Creation’s role today. Let’s read Romans 8:19-22

(19)  For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  (20)  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope  (21)  that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.  (22)  We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

When mankind brought sin into the world by disobeying God, which is recorded back in Genesis chapter 3, we subjected all of creation to ramifications of that sin. All of creation has been suffering from that moment. Man’s sin brought death into the world; death for man, but also for creation.

Because of all that, creation has been groaning. It has been expectant for the full glory of God to be revealed. All of creation eagerly waits for man’s complete redemption which will come when Jesus ushers in the new heavens and the new earth. All of creation’s redemption is waiting for us.

Creation will no longer be subject to death, just like we won’t, once Jesus returns. Creation is held in bondage, just like mankind, and we can change that. We can do what Jesus asks us to do to quicken his return.

One day, Jesus will return in all his glory. We will celebrate with all of creation. All of creation, including us, will be finally displaying all the beauty God intended when he spoke it into existence thousands of years ago.

Until that day comes, we must enjoy creation. We must worship God and enjoy his creation. There is no better way to worship God than appreciate all he has done in your life, and celebrate the part you play in all of creation.

Go out and watch a sunrise or sunset. Marvel at the billions of stars in the night sky. Listen to the birds singing their songs, and sing with them! Swim with the fish and the dolphins. Play with the dogs and run with them. Smell the flowers and enjoy the shade of the trees. Enjoy creation and celebrate the Master Creator, God.