10 January 2010
Psalm 146, 147; Gen. 1:1-2:3; Eph. 1:3-14; John 1:29-34

The story of creation. Reading this story it is clear that creation was purposeful and intentional with everything in place and only needing someone or something to tend it. When mankind is created, it is after everything is just right. The one who will attend to and rule over the creation is one like God, created in His image and according to His likeness. I believe God created all things and that this story of creation tells us something of the beginnings of the universe. I believe also that it is poetic and that science can tell us much about beginnings in a more prosaic manner yet without replacing the poetic truth of creation by God out of nothing. The science of beginnings only increases our wonder at God Himself who was before all things and whose creation cannot contain Him yet who chose to come as part of that creation, the perfect man, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father, to show us how to be stewards of this creation. The divine condescension to live among us as one of us is unimaginable as we read this story of God creating all things.

John makes a remarkable pronouncement. This is the one we have been waiting for, the one the prophets have foretold, the one I have been talking about, standing right here among us, the Son of God. It is doubtful that John knew the fullness of his own testimony and yet he knew that Jesus was far more than John himself. The fullness of time has come and the Lord has come back to His people, not in the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, nor in the cloud that was the glory of God filling the tabernacle and the temple, but the glory of God veiled in flesh.

Paul speaks of the creation as well, the creation of a people to praise the Lord, to worship Him and to serve Him. This passage makes clear that all the work of this creation was done by God, just as the work of creation of the world. In the end, He sent His Christ to save us from sin and death and to share in His inheritance, a new mankind given stewardship of God’s kingdom through not only sharing His image and likeness, but sharing in His Spirit, the wisdom of God. Read the Ephesians passage slowly and notice the pronouns “he” and “him” and see if you can find any room for pride. Read it again and thank Him for each and every thing He has done on your behalf.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.