Wednesday, February 7, 2024
“Then God looked
over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1: 31, New Living Translation)
I had a small setback when some
of it fell apart while I was attaching some other pieces. But with patience and
calm (uncharacteristic of me, I know), I pieced it back together and then put
the finishing touches on the whole project. Voila! A red, British, double
decker bus. It is not perfect but I am rather proud of it, if I do say so
myself. I didn’t cure cancer or stop wars but I still have some sense of
satisfaction and accomplishment.
The Genesis stories of Creation
inform us that God also felt a profound sense of accomplishment and achievement
in his acts of creation. From First Light to the human beings who God created
in his own image, it was all good. More than good – it was very good. Every day
brought out something from the loving goodness of God, making Creation sacred,
unique, a blessing, an imaginative and innovative project which formed into our
existence and the planet on which we live. These wondrous stories remind us of
the richness and the abundance and the sacredness of all created existence, from
the smallest detail to the biggest.
How God came up with the
platypus or the giraffe, I don’t know, but they, too, are good, very good. On
that seventh day of rest, God looked at all he had made and pronounced it all to be very good.
“It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it
to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55: 11, NLT)
I suppose I could go the way of exclaiming
and complaining about how we, God’s very image, have so often spoiled God’s very
good Creation. Wars, pollution, etc.
But let’s focus, instead, on the
goodness of accomplishment and achievement. Let’s consider the sense of satisfaction
from a job well done. Let’s reflect on the spirit of the pleasure and
fulfillment we receive from doing things the best way, the right way, the productive
way.
Paul wrote in his second letter
to the Thessalonians, “May God give you the power to accomplish all the good
things your faith prompts you to do.” (1:11)
Each of us has a life to build. We don’t have
to build it alone for God always offers his encouragement, counsel and support.
Jesus has set the best example. The Holy Spirit aids us. But we do have to put
the work in. We have to figure out what fits and what doesn’t. We have to make
right choices and decisions. We have to
follow the directions (i.e. scripture). We have to discern the good from the
bad. But it is all worth it. “Now all
glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to
accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20,
NLT)
We will not always do it
perfectly. There may be times that it seems to fall apart and we have to so some
rebuilding. We may need patience and perseverance. But the end-product –
although I could argue that we are never totally finished in this life - is something
for which we can feel a sense of accomplishment, pride, achievement. “For we
are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the
good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2: 10, NLT)
“Put on your new nature,
created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4: 24, NLT)
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