In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness covered the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (Genesis 1:1-3)
This third week in April has been designated “Earth Week” for a good number of years now. Throughout the week, events are taking place to educate and encourage people of all ages in understanding and caring for our environment. I recall being pleased and impressed at the special events organized at school to provide my children with an understanding of what ecology was, and its importance. The lessons of those outdoor classes, the getting up close and personal with nature, were an excellent beginning for their appreciation and respect for their natural surroundings.
Casting about for a way to combine a devotional theme and Earth Week, it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to go to the beginning — the creation story as told in the Book of Genesis. These words of beauty and strength, so poetic and eloquent, never fail to move my spirit. There is effective repetition in the writing, as key phrases occur over and over. The phrase, “God said” appears nine times in the 31 verses of the first chapter. The message of the creative power of God’s word is inescapable.
The other phrase that is repeated so meaningfully is “And God saw that it was good.” It sounds so simple, and almost bland — we often say “good” as another word for “fine” or “nice.” It’s certainly not spectacular or stunning. But here it seems that as God saw that it was good, he was taking pleasure in the complexity, the beauty, and the ever-changing nature of both our planet and the entire universe. Simply saying, “It was good” may be the ultimate understatement, as the more we study and attempt to explore the universe, the more in awe we stand at the vastness of the creation.
It’s not uncommon for we humans to complicate just about everything in our environment, and we’ve been awfully hard on Mother Earth. We need to take time to remember all that “God said” as he created and continues to renew our amazing universe. “God saw that it was good” and we who are so blessed also have the responsibility to be good stewards of this great gift.
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers