Recognizing God’s Creation In Your Life

I returned yesterday from a two-week writing retreat at North Carolina’s Outer Banks. I’ve gone there each October for the past five years, and every time Jesus has spoken to me powerfully.

The Lord opens my spiritual ears when I’m silent before Him in His marvelous Creation. He stirs my wonder and gratitude while making me feel both small and beloved.

Gratitude Takes Time

Cultivating gratitude takes time to reflect on memories, ponder the now, and consider our trajectory. As I reviewed nearly twelve months of notes in my Genesis ESV Illuminated Scripture Journal (my Amazon off link), I was halted by the very first words recorded in Scripture:

“In the beginning, God . . .” Genesis 1:1

I love those words. He’s always been, always is, and always will be–God.

The next word in Scripture’s Creation account is equally delicious:

“In the beginning, God created . . .” (emphasis added)

From absolutely nothing, God created everything. Then He hovered over waters. They were formless, empty, and dark.

The whole Creation account sends a chill through me. I could spend a whole year in the first three chapters of Genesis! But I’d love to share with you some brief thoughts on only the first three days that are helping me cultivate an #AttitudeofGratitude for the month of November . . .

Day #1

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” Genesis 1:3–5

His activity on Day #1 seems slow, measured. Almost cautious in its change. Formless and empty and dark were given only two parameters – either light or dark. Day or Night. The first change was simple, but imagine the profoundness of light’s introduction.

Light when only darkness had reigned. God ruled over them both and gave each a purpose when he named them: day and night.

Day #2

The second day was a bit more complex. God took what had already existed–water–and divided it. Again, he named the span and, in doing so, gave it form and purpose.

“And God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.’ So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault ‘sky.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.” Genesis 1:6–8

NIV (above) uses vault to describe the sky. ESV uses the word expanse. Either word you choose communicates the concept of an empty space.

Purposeful Emptiness

The sky’s emptiness isn’t like what’s described in Gen. 1:1, when God hovered over formless, empty, and dark waters. The sky’s empty space was purposely created for the great lights to govern day and night (vs. 16-19).

Like the sky on Creation’s day #3 or the margins in a book, well-placed emptiness is crucial to allow room for thought and gratitude.

Day #3

On the third day, God seems almost giddy, continuing a rapid-fire sequence of permissions, using the word, “Let . . .”

“And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.” Genesis 1:9–13 (emphasis added)

It’s as if the light, sky, ground, sea, vegetation, seed- and fruit-bearing plants were anxiously awaiting His permission to burst into existence!

Day #3 is the record of the Divine Artist’s first explosion onto the canvas of earth with His paints and brushes. Vegetations and seeds go from creation to mature and harvestable fruit with the breath of His command. How glorious is the Master Creator’s brush stroke!

The “Let” In Our Lives

When God hovered over the formless, empty darkness, His first act of creating was very simple. Introducing light into darkness, separating the two. When He begins to stir something new in our lives, He often begins slowly, deliberately, perhaps even without our notice.

Is there something stirring in you? I believe sometimes He waits for us to recognize His subtle handiwork before He announces, “Let there be [something new]” in our hearts or circumstances.

Our natural response to God’s handiwork is gratitude. Carve out some time each day this month to ponder and praise the God of Creation.

Today’s Question:

• How will you make time each day to sit quietly before God to cultivate an attitude of gratitude for His activity in your life?
• What has He done–during the past year–that you can thank Him for today?