I must admit that when I took a moment to think about what I admired most about God’s creation, I couldn’t. I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t think of anything. And I’d just read Genesis 1 through to Genesis 2:4 as part of a new (to me) Bible study guide from Bible Study Together, a chronological reference study of the Scriptures.
I couldn’t think of any one thing. I’ve always admired how beautiful the flowers are, or the colours of the sky at dawn or when the sun is setting. And how the whole world seems dreamlike when it rains. The fresh smell of just-cut grass, and the feel of the earth under my bare feet. The way the light dances upon the waters of the Nadi River, and the cool breeze at midday.
All that and more, but somehow, they do not do Him, or His creation, His work justice. I realized how much I’ve taken Him for granted. I knew, I know, that God created the heavens and the earth, and every living thing on it, including us. But it was more head knowledge than heart knowledge.
The reading prompts me to tell someone what I admire most about God’s creation. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t pick just one.
Searching my heart rather than my mind, I find that it’s not God’s creation that I admire. It is God Himself that I admire above all. I don’t admire Him the way I admire Chopin for his Nocturnes, or Foster and Kasparov for how they play chess. No, the way I admire God is somehow other than that, more than that, deeper, and so much more.
I admire God far above His creations because they will wither away and die without Him. Without Him, there will be no earth, no world, no sky, no rain, no flowers, no living thing. Without God, there will be no me, you, anyone. No life.
Do I admire God’s creation? Yes, but I admire Him more because after He created the heavens and the earth, He made us, humankind after His image. And even after we sinned, and continue to sin against Him, He sent salvation. A Saviour, Jesus Christ, to rescue us from sin, and save us from death and an eternity in hell. And He pursues us to have a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him.
Reading Genesis 1:1 – 2:4
What is the image of God, and what does it mean to be created in His image?
I was about eight or nine when my grandfather explained Genesis 1:26 to me. I thought God had made a mistake with me and the people I knew because we didn’t look ‘godlike’. We were too us-like. We were people living in a small Fijian village. Ordinary people, living ordinary lives, and with un-god-like ways.
Years later, I heard a sermon about how we are spirit beings in human bodies, and I understood what Genesis 1:26 meant.
God is spirit, declares Jesus in John 4:24. He declares, ‘all who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth’. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, said that. Jesus is the pure, sinless image of God. God created us in His image, but we are born with a sinful nature. To return to the pure, sinless Christ-like image of God, we must recognize where we are. And how wrong we are when we sin. We must humble ourselves, repent and accept Jesus Christ as our one and only Lord and Saviour.
And worship God in a manner worthy of Him. With all our strength, mind and heart.
How does Genesis explaining that God created plants before He created the sun affect your understanding of creation?
High School biology class teaches that plants need the sun for photosynthesis, and so on. Yet Genesis 1:11-12 states that grass, herbs, and fruit trees grew at God’s command. They not only grew but sprouted seeds and yielded fruits. And the sun wasn’t in the sky yet. God hadn’t yet created the sun. Only by the power of His word did plants grow. Evidence that every living thing, whether grass, animal or man, depends on God for life.
Chapters 38 to 41 of the Book of Job contain some of my favourite passages of the Scriptures. I encourage you to read it in the New King James Version of the Bible. It’s God Himself speaking to Job about how He created things. Read it, it’s amazing how God designed things and placed things just so.
Job chapters 38 to 41 and Genesis chapters 1 to 3 are a clear account of creation, don’t you think so? Have you ever wondered how some people still believe in the theory of evolution? Think about it, how can anyone think that we were swamp slime? Slime. You must hate yourself so much to think that.
How does the knowledge that God created both men and women in His image impact your perspective of the opposite sex?
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness
Genesis 1:26a
Growing up, and even now, seeing how people can be so cruel to each other, I can understand why God decided to destroy the earth with the great flood (Genesis 6).
I live in a patriarchal culture where traditions dictate that women don’t have any say at all. In some villages here, men are not expected to work. They send their wives and daughters to work and earn money while they stay up all night drinking kava. And sleep all day.
A culture where the ill-informed opinions of a lazy man are worth more than those of a well-educated and hardworking woman. It hurts.
Injustice? It’s certainly not God-like, not godly. And it’s not unique to my culture, but is, sadly, in other cultures and other places.
The image below is from an X account called ‘Biblical Masculinity’. The post shows a misunderstanding of God and the Scriptures.
10 Uncomfortable Biblical Truths:
— Biblical Masculinity (@BibMasculinity) March 20, 2024
1. The woman was made for the man, not the man for the woman. (1 Cor 11:9 KJV)
2. Men are the image of God, not women. (1 Cor 11:7 KJV)
3. Husbands are the rulers, owners, heads, and lords of their wives. (Gen 3:16, Ex 20:17, Acts 20:28, Eph… pic.twitter.com/g4pJZm8ZzY
Women too mistreat men. Women also denigrate and belittle men. The modern feminist movement is one example of that. Some married women I know are the same.
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
Genesis 1:27
Here are some things that I still don’t understand about this
Knowing that God created everyone, how can we still hate each other so much?
Knowing that God created males and females, how can a male then say he’s a female, and a female say she’s a male? And then say that God made them feel that way?
Why are some people confused about their sex?
Why do people allow confusion into their lives? Why can’t they see how wrong they are? How can some people degrade themselves so much, and let others degrade them?
I’m grateful that God’s purpose for mankind is still at work, and you and I still believe in Him.
In what ways did God call us to rest today?
And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because that in it He had rested from all His which God created and made.
Genesis 2:2-3
What does your rest look like? Do you take a day of rest? Is it the Sabbath day, or Shabbat as the Jews say? Or is it Sunday? Do you ever get any rest days at all?
I believe that God is leading us to rest more in Him.
Abide in Me, Jesus says, and we will live, grow, and thrive.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 1 5:4
God is teaching me about stillness. Its many facets and nuances. More than being still in body, but in my heart, soul and spirit.
I’m learning to quiet my thoughts by thinking more and often, of God and His love for me. Of Jesus Christ and His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. And acknowledge the Holy Spirit and His leading and direction for my life.
God’s presence is the calm serene escape from life’s distractions.
How is God revealed in today’s reading, and what does this mean for your life?
Be still and know that I Am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10
God reigns forever no matter what. He will be praised and worshipped.
The LORD be magnified, declares the Psalmist. No matter what people do, say or think about God, He is still in control, and His Kingdom is for eternity.
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psalm 2:1-4
What is God doing around you, and how can you join Him?
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
God is pouring out His Spirit. Islamics and Hindus convert to Christianity every year; the numbers are under-reported. There are also reports of Christians and non-Christians who dream about Jesus.
I testify that God is moving me into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. I pray that He is doing the same with you.
Your Turn
If you don’t yet have a Bible study guide to follow, I encourage you to visit www.biblestudytogether.com
What Bible reading plan do you currently follow? I followed Dr Grant Horner’s Bible Reading Plan for a while. The plan includes reading ten chapters of the Bible each day. I followed it for a while but found that I needed to make my way, slowly and surely, through the Bible. Meditate on what the Holy Spirit brings to my mind, reflect on it, and write it down so that it sticks with me.
This is why this chronological reference Bible study plan is good for me.
If you’d like to try Dr Grant Horner’s plan, click on this link to download the free PDF
Do you have a favourite Bible reading plan and Bible study guide? Please share them in the comments section.
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, Hallelujah O Lord God Almighty! You are worthy of all praise and all worship!
Thank You, Lord, for what You’re doing in our lives, and through us.
O Lord be magnified in all the earth, in every heart, in every life.
We ask You, Father-God, please, forgive us of sins and of our evil ways. We fully repent of all of them, Lord. Please, forgive us, cleanse us, and renew us, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
May the Grace of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, be with you always.