Genesis 1:27-31

[27] So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

[28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” [29] And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. [30] And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. [31] And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

It has been a few days since I posted. I won’t make any excuses.

We were made in the image of God. We are told to multiply, to have dominion over the fish, birds, and every living thing.

We were made in the image of God, and it is very good.

The creation is finished, or should I say it has just begun. It was very good, God says. I have to agree. I’ve been through some of the most beautiful areas in the country this summer. Beautiful mountain lakes that would make any tropical dwellers jealous – until they get in the water – BRRRR! Green hills, plains, waterfalls, trees – all displaying God’s love and goodness, His power and grace.

Then there’s humans to consider. Funny, sad, serious, jovial, joking, loving, teasing, smiling – all displaying glimpses of God’s beauty. Sure, there’s glimpses of sin within as well, but don’t let that overshadow the beauty that is a man or woman striving to truly live in the image of God.

If there’s anything I’ve learned from this summer, it’s that God is holy, powerful, awesome, beautiful, loving and gracious – and so are His people.

Creation IS very good, but God is greater.

Genesis 1:26

[26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

We were made in God’s image.

You were made in God’s image.

That person you can’t stand – made in God’s image.

We were all made in God’s image – but sometimes we don’t act like other people are.

We don’t treat people as if God cares for them – because we don’t.

I spent yesterday at Elitch Garden’s in Denver, CO, by all accounts a large city with many, many people in it. Yet only once did I even think about other people as God does. I spent most of the day waiting in line for rides, frustrated when people broke the rules, angry when a ride wasn’t open, wishing people would just step aside when they’re walking slowly…

and only at the end of the day did I realize that these people are loved by God.

These people, God created, and loves and cares for… and I treat them like junk.

Observe the people around you, actually see them. Know that they are loved by God, despite their problems, foibles, faults and cutting you off in traffic.

Open your eyes to view people the way God does, and it’ll break your heart.

Genesis 1:24-25

[24] And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. [25] And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

God saw that it was good, the livestock and animals that now walked the earth.

God’s creation is amazing. Just think of the last time you went to a zoo. There are so many different types of animals, so many different breeds within each animal, each with its own special design. Bright colors, muted colors, the ability to change colors – each of these traits are for a purpose.

And so it is with us, we each have been given different features, personalities and talents.

And it is good!

Be yourself, be who God created you to be – and stop trying to be someone else.

Then you’ll see that everything God created was good, as well.

Genesis 1:20-23

[20] And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” [21] So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. [22] And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” [23] And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

The waters teem with life. Fish, Sharks, Whales, shrimp and millions of others are suddenly thrust into the depths of the ocean.

Just above the new life in the sea, the sky is filled with birds, beautiful birds, who soar through the air.

Amazing.

But what’s most amazing to me is that neither those in the sea, or those that fly in the sky above are much suited to each other’s environment.

Most birds don’t swim well. Those that do can only stay underwater so long before they drown.

Most fish don’t last more than minutes above water. They suffocate.

Take a fish out of water, and it is just a slimy mess.

Clip a bird’s wings and it turns into one of the clumsiest ground walkers in the world.

That’s because fish were meant to swim, and birds were meant to soar.

God created these animals for a purpose, they were designed for something.

In the same way, God has made each one of us, humans, differently. We all have different talents, different God-given gifts.

How are you using what God has given you today?

Genesis 1:14-19

[14] And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, [15] and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. [16] And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. [17] And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, [18] to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. [19] And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

Sun. During this time of year, I encounter a lot of sun. I’ll get sun-burned, sun-tanned and frankly end up being burnt out on sun. I’ll come back from a week of camp and just want to stay inside. The moon though, the moon and I have a fickle relationship. Half of the time the moon doesn’t even show up to be seen, busy hiding behind a cloud or only revealing a small part of itself. We used to like to call those “fingernail moons.”

What does this have to do with anything?

My relationship with the sun reminds me of my relationship with people. I love to be out among them, but sometimes I get burnt out. Sometimes I need to retreat to home, to keep from exploding at someone who really doesn’t deserve it.

My relationship with the moon reminds me of my relationship with God… except this time, I’m the moon. I don’t show up, I hide behind busyness, relationships and media… I’ll only reveal a bit of myself to God – and I only get a small piece of Him in return.

The kicker of it all is this: I know that if I spend more time with God, I won’t get as burned out on people. If I don’t get burned out on people, I can actually love them the way He wants me to. Instead, though, I just pour myself into other things, and get burned out… because I’m not trying to have that relationship with Him.

Where are you at today?

Is your relationship with God a game of hide and seek?

Is your relationship with people one of, well, just plain hide?

Be honest, sound out in the comments, and share where you’re at today.

Genesis 1:11-13

[11] And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. [12] The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. [13] And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

Fruit and vegetables, the first I’ve always loved, the second has had to grow on me as I, myself, grew up. It used to be that I hated eating vegetables, at least most kinds. Corn and peas were never part of the hated vegetables for me. Disdain was held for those such as canned spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and cauliflower.

Now, aside from canned spinach – which Popeye can keep, I love almost every vegetable.

What does that have to do with anything, Isaiah?

We’ve come to the Third Day in creation – God has created all plant life. Some of the plants I don’t like, and some of the plants are just plain awesome. Yet each and every one is part of God’s creation, He created it and said it was good.

I treat people in the same way. I love some and show, sometimes, disdain and hate towards others.

Yet, each person is God’s creation and He loves them.

How are you treating the people around you today?

Are you loving them, as God does? or

Are you ignoring some and hating others?

Every person you will encounter today IS loved by God. Let’s love them too.

[this week we will forgo Tech Support Thursdays for another Genesis blog]

Genesis 1:9-10

[9] And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. [10] God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

The seas, and dry land, are now in existence.

I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was young.

That’s not really a random statement, I swear. I wanted to study the ocean, the marine life that lives in the blue. I wanted to swim with dolphins, watch whales as they leap into the atmosphere. I wanted to swim with Manta Rays, scuba dive to coral reefs, and see the oceans of the world.

But I lived smack-dab in the middle of the dry land known as the USA. I had glimpses in aquariums, but have yet to see the real thing. Yet, that desire that was so strong during my youth has faded. I still want to see those things… but I don’t desire to study them.

I’m now more interested in their creator.

I desire to know more about God, to know Him better, to grow in my relationship with Him. As I’ve come to know Him better, I see that the things He created, including you and me, are good!

I would love to have all of the adventures I dreamed about as a boy… but I’d rather stay on this adventure that God has given.

What about you?

What were some of the big dreams in your life as a child?

Genesis 1:6-8

[6] And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” [7] And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. [8] And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

Once again, God speaks and that which He desires, happens. What amazing power!

Some of the notes I’ve been reading say that other Near Eastern creation stories also center around water, but it is personified as a god… it itself helps with the creation, on its own terms. Yet here, God, the LORD, has created the water, and then uses and forms it as he wishes.

It’s kind’ve silly to think about, but I think we do the same thing as the Near Easterners did. We personify things, or resources, and make them gods. We make things our idols – pretending that they have their own power.

An idol that pops up in my life sometimes is technology (computers/videogames/etc). I’m amazed and enthralled by technology, to the point of devoting much of my time to learning about it, reading news about it, discovering new things about it.

Then I ask myself, do I do the same with God? Do I devote time to learning about Him, to studying His word, to reading books that help explain God, to discovering new things about Him?

If you’re like me, you’ll answer with a resounding, “… not really.”

I can say that God is above all in my life as much as I want, but saying isn’t doing. Saying God is #1 doesn’t put Him in the #1 spot. In order for it to be real, I have to make a conscious decision, every day, every hour, that God is #1.

Today, I resolve to set God as #1 in my life.

What about you?

Genesis 1:4-5

[4] And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

It has always been interesting to me how the Hebrew culture reckoned days. Evening is first, then morning. The sabbath would begin on Friday at sundown and end Saturday at sundown. It seems so backwards to our way of reckoning days, but it makes sense in this context.

God created light – boom, there’s light! Now there can be a morning! The evening dark was before, but the morning now has its own power.

How do you reckon your days?

Is the light overcoming the darkness or the darkness overcoming the light?

Let God shine in your life today.

Genesis 1:3

[3] And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

God spoke, and so it was. His power is shown in simple words spoken literally creating light.

Can you imagine this? Can you imagine the power it would take?

“Let there be light!” [poof] LIGHT!

And here we see our first glimpse of the power of the Word of God – Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:16-17

[16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

John 1:1-3

[1:1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The Word of God is powerful.

The word of Isaiah, well, isn’t… not nearly in the same way.

I can’t imagine what would happen if what I spoke came into being, just for an hour. What amazing things would I come up with? Would I be selfish or selfless? Would I create or destroy?

Because that’s the catch right? If there is so much power in spoken word, that also means that He could destroy it all with a word as well.

I’m glad I’m not God – I couldn’t handle it. I’d break under the pressure or be a dark and terrible, selfish deity.

I’m not God. Praise GOD for that!

However, I must remember that my words do have power. I can use words to tear down someone’s heart, to destroy their self-worth… to be selfish.

OR

I can use my words to build someone up, to lead them to the one who has the wisdom to use His power in the greatest way, and encourage them in their walk with Him.

How are you using your words today?