Today we looked at the great things God has done in creating the heavens and the earth. The Bible story begins with the story of creation (Genesis 1) and John 1 echoes this by telling us that Jesus is the Word who was and is God and was involved in making all that exists. (See also Col 1, Hebrews 1) God’s powerful word resulted in the creation of our universe (see Ps 33:6, 9) and Ps 24:1-2 reminds us that ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.’ Ps 19:1-2 tells us, ‘the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.’ As we consider the creation all around us and reflect on what the Bible teaches us about God as our Creator, the ‘Maker of heaven and earth’ (Ps 115:15, Ps 121:2, Ps 124:8, Ps 134:3, Ps 146:6), we are encouraged, left in awe at all we see, and inspired to praise God.
At Glowthorpe, we will be exploring the theme of ‘Night and Day’, looking at the planets and stars through telescopes and parading lanterns that reflect the sun, moon and stars as well as seeing lanterns that represent the dawn chorus and the nocturnal owls. Paul tells us that creation is a witness to God’s power, love and authority, and we are wise when we consider and ponder these things to learn more about what God has done. (Rom 1:19-20) God’s eternal power and divine nature are broadcast to us through the wonders of creation, the wonders of nature, and we need to learn to listen in to this broadcast and to learn from all that He has given us to see and marvel at.
Not only can we learn about the wonders of the natural creation around us, we see that the Bible places great value on the creation of mankind by God (see Psalm 139). David says,
‘When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?’ (Ps 8:3-4)
When we survey creation around us in the form of ‘nature’, we are filled with awe at God’s magnificence and power. When we survey ourselves as God’s creation, we are left like David: wondering why God should be mindful of us, why He should care so much for us. We know our faults and failings all too well. But then we see that the rest of the Bible is not about the planets or the stars, even though these feature in the overall story we read. The Bible story is all about what God has done for people, the people made in His image and for His glory. Paul tells us that “God chose us in him before the foundation of the world . . . to the praise of the glory of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:4, 6) His actions are inextricably intertwined with the people He has created, with us. God not only created the heavens and earth; He is involved in making a new creation of us (2 Cor 5:17), and He is involved daily in new acts of creation, calling things into being which are not, as He did with Isaac for Abraham and Sarah: He is ‘the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. (Rom 4:17)
God has done great things, continues to do great things, and has great plans for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. (Jer 29:11) Knowing God as our creator and as the creator of all things helps us to live with purpose and thanksgiving.