Listen

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 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 air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, 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.

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:26–31

Think

God is blessing the humans and setting them free to BE. God is giving the creation over to itself to do what it has been designed to do—re-create. At the end of each day, God makes a pronouncement to say that the day’s work is good. It’s as if God stands back to notice how it all looks together on the canvas.

Why in the world would God ever need to evaluate what God has done? Isn’t it perfectly perfect? The word “subdue” indicates that perhaps in its perfection some disorderliness is expected, even built in to the design. The humans are brought in to subdue the earth. Someone has to keep the kudzu from taking over the whole garden!

When we planted carrot seeds this spring, the directions suggested that when the plants are 2–3 inches high, we should dig them up and replant them in such a way that they would all have more room to grow. Creation is designed so that we depend on each other to bring out our best. It’s all meant to work together. And it is so good when we do!

Valerie Burton

Pray

Remind me, today, God, that I need fresh water, clean air, vegetables, and proteins to live. Remind me that I need fellowship, companionship, and opportunities to work and create in order to be fulfilled. For this is the way you designed me to live in your amazing creation. Amen.

Go

Can you feel that movement, the ever-present hand of the ever-present God? The Creator is at work in you, for you, and through you. Go now to join in the newness that is afoot all around.