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In The Beginning ... and it was very good!
Creation — There’s a song written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath and Sonny Burke. It is known as a gospel standard: Somebody Bigger than You and I. I remember hearing it sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford on our family’s round screen ole’ black and white TV during one of the ever popular evening variety shows.
First verse: “Who made the mountains? Who made the trees? Who made the rivers flow to the sea? And who sends the rain when the earth is dry?” Tennessee Ernie Ford’s low rumbling voice would pause then sing with authority: “Somebody bigger than you and I”.
Well, that’s not exactly how the scripture goes, but, I guess my real question is ... when did you learn the story of creation? How did this all come together? We can’t jump so high that we leave this atmosphere. When there’s an opportunity to see creatures of the sea, land, and sky, you know right away what was behind all this had to have a sense of humor and realize there was no sense of a proper color scheme or texture. Right?
Second verse: “Who made the flowers to bloom in the spring? Who made the song for the robins to sing? And who hung the moon and the stars in the sky?” pause: “Somebody bigger than you and I.”
If we accept the truth of Genesis 1:1, then we can easily accept the many miraculous works of God throughout the Bible. If we acknowledge Genesis 1:1, our basic relationship to God is defined: He is the creator and we are the created beings. Genesis 1:2 lays out creation’s background. Biblical creation does not start with “nothingness.” That God creates matter out of nothing is implied, but the story in Genesis actually starts with a chaotic watery world. Genesis 1 creation account is not so much an account of creation out of nothing as it is an account of bringing order out of chaos, and life out of nonlife. Genesis 1:2 also mentions the “Spirit of God” hovering over the waters, underscoring the close connection between God’s Spirit and creative power. “Spirit of God”, isn’t that our comfortable connection to God? Right now are you thinking about what you remember from Sunday school, or a school classroom, living and experiencing “nature”. Is that your story of creation?
Third verse: “When we’re filled, filled with despair, who gives me courage to go from there? And who gives me faith that will never die?” pause: “Somebody bigger than you and I.”
In Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw the light, that it 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. The phrase “that it was good” appears again and again in the first chapter of Genesis as God continues His work of creating our world. Verse 27: “So God created man in His own image”. Verse 31: His phrase varied a little “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” - Created in the image of God, giving them a very special status. We are similar to God in several aspects, spiritual, emotional, relational. Nowhere in the first two chapters are the first man and woman associated with any tribe or race. I believe this implies that all people of all races and socioeconomic levels have this special status and value; they are created in the image of God. Whoa, are you comfortable with that, all people, all races are given a “very special status”? You and I know on the seventh day God rested from all His work. Let me say that again, God rested from all His work on the seventh day. It doesn’t say all His work is done. Sometimes we believe we have so much to do that we can’t take time to rest. Are we creating a world filled with life?
Back to the first question: Where were you when you heard for the first time, in the beginning? Come on back to the table and hear the Bible truths once again. If it’s for the first time ... welcome! You will soon realize the “Who” we are seeking is “somebody bigger than you and I”.
Pastor Dorothy Hotchkiss of Webster’s Crossing UMC and Groveland Federated Parish.
dhotch2@frontiernet.net 585/406-7030 cell/text
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