the purpose of community

God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:17-19


Think back to your last week. In the midst of everything you had to accomplish, what was the biggest thing weighing on your mind? What was the biggest thing weighing on your heart?
Perhaps it was a test in one of your classes that you were unsure of how to prepare for. Maybe a project deadline felt like a cloud looming darker over your head as each day passed.


Whatever it was, it certainly did not help you accomplish anything else.


Think again to this last week. Was there a time that you felt God calling you to do something? Did you feel a tug at your heart or receive verbal encouragement to pursue something difficult?
What purpose did you feel God calling you to?
And what was the greatest struggle keeping you from following that call?


This verse in Genesis is essentially a repeat of what God had already spoken in the verses  before. That does not mean, however, that nothing more can be learned.


Read again the verse at the top of this post. God made the stars, the sun and the moon. He set them in the sky with their own special place. He gave them great purposes to fulfill.


Think about that: He gave the purpose to them.


Have you ever been afraid of pursuing something because you felt alone in the call? Or because you thought it could not be accomplished without help?


This set of verses is meant to remind us that God never calls us to something without also providing others with the purpose of being our help. We are not made to be alone, and in the same way God does not ask us to work alone.


While it is hard to have hope when you do not yet know who will be your help (or 'partner in crime', if you wish), it is important to remember that God is the one who provides. Whether it be a person to be physically present with you when you are working, to do the same work with you, or someone to serve as an encouragement through everything you pursue, God will never leave you to be alone in those things to which He calls you.


A call to purpose is not for the individual, but to the community.
Be in community with one another, and grow one another to achieve the purposes for which He has created you.

You are unique and blessed in the purpose for which God has made you, but you are most certainly not alone.


What has God been calling you to? How can we as a Christian community help encourage you to pursue God's path for your life? Please leave your thoughts and comments below.

the light of day

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. Genesis 1:16

What do you think the Bible refers to when it says that "God made the two great lights." What are these great lights that are being described?

More than likely, your first thought is that these great lights refer to the sun and moon.

I would venture to say that this presumption is correct, and many scholars agree.


It might be good, however, to look back upon past verses in Genesis. This is not the first moment in which light is spoken of in the creation story. (Gen. 1:3, Gen. 1:4, Gen. 1:5)


What do you believe it means for 'light' to be created at two distinctly different times?


First, I think it becomes quite obvious that they are not the same thing simply being created twice. But to understand a little further, I find it important to look at the original Hebrew of the words we are comparing.


In Genesis 1:3-5, the root Hebrew word used for light is 'owr. This word has many, many different definitions. There are definitions focusing upon physical light, but there are also definitions such as "light of life, light of prosperity, light of instruction" and other such non-physical lights.


In Genesis 1:14-16, however, the root Hebrew word used for light and lights is Ma'owr. Obviously, these two Hebrew words have a connection, but they are rather different. The definition of Ma'owr simply means "light" or "luminary." This means that the light described in the verse we just read purely relates to physical light (as we had presumed).


How, then, are we supposed to view the light described in Genesis 1:3-5? Looking at the Hebrew, what do you think God created in these verses?


Personally, I believe it is difficult for us to fully know. Looking into the Hebrew of the words darkness and night for Genesis 1:3-5 and Genesis 1:14-18 yield the same two Hebrew words (Choshek and Layil, respectively), both of which have physical and non-physical connotations.


If we conclude that we might never find this answer (unless we choose to ask God when finally in His presence), what then are we to learn from this verse? What is declared about God?

Read the verse again. What stands out to you?


The Hebrew word for govern, Memshalah, is also described as rule or authority. We have seen already that God has the power to create and the power to name. In this verse, God is not only showing that He himself is the Ultimate Authority, but that He has the power to grant authority.


How does this affect your view of who God is? Has God ever placed you in a position of authority? Did you see it that way -- as authority that God had granted or given to you? How does that impact the way you treat your position of authority?


Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Purpose in Time

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on earth." And it was so. Genesis 1:14-15

How many times have you heard the first two chapters of Genesis?
And how often have you read them simply as a quick "story" of creation?

This verse shows us a few things about God's power. He is the Creator of the seasons, the days and the years. He determined how to define time with stars in the heavens. Knowing that He created the definition of time, we can know that God is outside of time.

But what does it really mean to be outside of time? Does God get to see all of time at once? What do you think that would look like?

Please leave your thoughts and comments below.

God is the One who has the power to define our understanding of time. He has control over our understanding of the length of our life, even our understanding of the time we need to be patient through. He can help us with that understanding, because that is the power He holds.

God also has the power to give purpose. We know that He has the power to create, as He is our Creator, but this verse shows His power beyond merely creation. God made the stars in the heavens with a specific purpose: to light up the earth and to mark as His definition of time.

Every created thing has a purpose. Reading this verse, we see that the stars' purpose was defined and ordained even before the creating actually happened.

So as the "lights in the expanse of the heavens" have a purpose, intentionally and specifically declared by God, we even more so, created with the unique blessing of being made in the image of God, were intentionally made with a purpose that was determined even before we were created.

Everyone struggles at times with feeling like they cannot find their place, or their purpose, in life. Knowing fully that God gave you a purpose even before you were born, have enthusiasm in everything you pursue, so the glory of God might manifest itself in your life!

Where do you struggle in finding your purpose? How might you rejoice in knowing your God-given purpose can never be lost or taken away from you? Please leave your comments below.

the life of a painting

Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with see in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning -- the third day. Genesis 1:11-13

How many things do you think God can show you about in Himself in three little verses?
You just might be amazed!

What's interesting to see is that many of God's qualities are repeated through several of the verses beforehand. As we've seen before, repetition means that it is something important for us to notice!

Here are a few of the things God shows in the verses above:

• God's words have power
• God has authority over all creation
  
  • specifically over nature
• God has the authority to determine what is good
  
  • thus, God is Goodness
• God is intentional with His creation
• God designed and made all of the beautiful, intricate and detailed plants in one day

As you may have noticed, we've seen several of these topics before! God continues to repeat Himself to help us remember the important points, such as remembering that God has the highest authority, the ultimate power and is the foundation of goodness! These are amazing things for which we praise and thank Him!

Today I wanted to focus on the last bullet point. God designed and made all of the beautiful, intricate and detailed plants in one day.

Certainly, people can argue that all of the plants he created were designed long before He created them. (personally, it doesn't make it any less amazing!)

Also, not everyone agrees that the seven days of the Creation Story are literal. I'm going to respond to this with a quote from a friend of mine: "Who am I to limit God in the vastness of His power? If He wants to make everything in a matter of days, who am I to say He can't? That's like trying to put God in a box."

With that settled, I want you to play a little game with me. I want you to stop everything else you are doing to try this with me. Are you ready?

I want you to imagine yourself about to paint a picture of a flower. You can use the one at the beginning of this post, if you want.

Now, you don't need to design the flower, because it already exists. However, if you had taken the photo yourself, you would have had a say in the design of the layout. In this way, you are able to design before creating your painting.

Imagine you wanted to paint this flower as beautifully and as detailed as possible. You want to show as much light and life and loveliness of this flower as you possibly can.

How long do you think this would take? How long would you need to create this beautiful painting?

A few weeks? A few months?

Longer?

The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, is considered to be a very remarkable painting, created by a very skilled artist. This wonderful painting is said to have taken nearly four years to complete!

What, however, does all of this have to do with the verses we are looking at? I want you to try and follow my train of thought.

God, in a sense, has made millions of beautiful, three-dimension moving paintings; paintings that are truly alive!

If God can create and grow such beautiful and detailed and amazing "seed-bearing plants and trees" in one day, imagine how amazing and genuinely beautiful He can grow you to be if you give Him your whole life to achieve it!

How amazing and powerful and wonderful is our God!

If you have any thoughts or comments, I would love for you to share! Let us know what God is showing you through His word, so we may also grow closer to Him!

God bless!

creating for life

Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. Genesis 1:11

Strange as it may seem, this short verse has a lot of information packed into it! Join me in finding out what it is.

To start, let us look at the description of what God was creating: plants.

When God first designed the plant, we know that He designed it to have the detail that still exists today. He designed it entirely to its finish, rather than adding or subtracting random pieces as time went along.
How do we know this? Well, at the very start of creation, God already decided (or designed) how the plants would have a life cycle. From the very start, He created them to have seed.

In this verse, seed is used as the same Hebrew word for offspring. God decided, at the very point of creation, how He would continue the line of life. The plants were created in a way that allows the natural continuation of the creation of life. Each plant was created in its own uniqueness, and the provision of the seed allows that uniqueness to be perpetuated into eternity.

God wanted life to change and grow and continue onward from how He originally made it. In this, we can understand that creation was not designed to remain constant or still. The phrase "change is inevitable" is not only true, it is an integral part of the foundation of the world around us.

Amazing, right?

Well, now I would like to look at a set of phrases we have seen a few times before. I'm referring to the collection of "Then God said" and "And it was so."

I have already written a little about the importance of these phrases relating to Genesis 1:3 and Genesis 1:6-7. Why, however, are we seeing them again? What is the importance of the further repetition of this phrase?

Perhaps it is simply that God seeks to remind us of His infallible plan. Every decision for creation has been fully and thoroughly contemplated prior to action.

Isn't it amazing to know that every part of our lives has been created in detail for a purpose? That every single part of who we are (even perceived flaws) has been specifically designed by God to be that way and no other?

You have been created intentionally by a God who seeks intimate relationship with you. And you have been created perfectly according to His detailed plan.
Nothing you do (or forget to do) can ever change that.
Amazing.

finding repetition

God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:10

When you are writing something for others to read, how do you emphasize that it is important? Do you use italics? Do you underline it? What if the language you were writing in did have those options (or, at least, could not be translated in that way)? What could you use to emphasize a thought?

A good option would be repetition. Repetition is a valuable means of creating emphasis on a specific thought or statement. The Bible is an excellent example of the use of repetition for emphasis.

How do you see repetition being used in this verse? In what other passages have you seen the Bible use repetition for emphasis?

If you notices, I have used both repetition and emphasis several times already. That is because it is an important concept that I want you to be mindful of when reading the Bible.

So, what qualities of God are being emphasized through the repetition in this verse? And why are they so important?

First, let us look at what is being repeated, along with where it is being repeated from.

If you will recall from Genesis 1:5, God gave a name to a part of His creation, using the phrase "God called." We see this phrase also used in Genesis 1:8. Multiple times in the story of creation, God intentionally chooses to provide a name to His creation.

But why does God pause each time to provide a name, rather than waiting until everything has been created? Why does He not just pause and the end and list all of the different names?
What is the reason for each being listed separately? For the repetition?

Again, I ask you to look back on what we learned from Genesis 1:5. God finds importance in a distinct relationship with each part of His creation. By separating the long list and repeating the process for each distinct part, God is making known His desire for relationship with every individual portion of His creation.
And He desires a very special relationship with mankind. One reason for the repetition through these passages is to remind us that, while we are all a part of mankind, God intentionally names each of us as we are created, because He wants to have an intimate relationship with every single one of us. God does not generalize His relationship with mankind; He makes certain that it is personal.

There is another piece of this verse involving repetition can also be found Genesis, specifically in Genesis 1:4. This involves God declaring what He has created to be "good." This term good can also be rewritten and pleasing to God or excellent of its kind. This term cannot be compared to our typical use of "good." It is nowhere near a definition akin to okay or fine. This definition is a much deeper use of the word, in understand that anything that is pleasing to God is the opposite of anything God would find dis-pleasureable (such as sin or ignoring Him in our lives). There is no gray area in what God enjoys. This good is something perfect and unblemished.

Again, why does God declare each individual piece good, rather than just the whole thing at the end of the process of creation? Why does He make certain to create repetition?
What does God bring to your mind when pondering these questions? Please share.
Perhaps it is to emphasize that each individual part was good. As it was created, each part could remain good on its own. Declaring solely the entirety of creation to be good could mis-imply that each part of creation absolutely needs the other parts in order to be good. While this is true for one aspect in particular (the creation of woman to bring good to the life of man), it is evident that this is not true for the whole of creation.

What is God showing you through this? How does this affect your knowledge of His interaction in your life? Who does this help you understand God to be?

Please share in the comments.

understanding obedience

The snow, the vapour, and the stormy wind fulfil His word. Are our acts and thoughts lighter and wilder than these -- that we should forget it? ~John Ruskin

And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. Genesis 1:9

Have you ever felt like God was calling you to do something? or telling you to act?
Did you listen?

When reading a verse such as this (a well-known, oft-read verse that sounds very similar to verses before and after it), it is very easy to fall into a trap. The trap I am talking about is that of simply reading and continuing on to the next verse, just as you would any other book.

The biggest problem, however, is that the Bible is not like any other book.

But how do you read it differently?

To start, you can recognize the importance that each sentence can have in your life. As the Word of God, it is as powerful and influential as He is powerful and influential. It is so important that it cannot be simply read -- it needs to be understood. Let's dive in!

So, what is actually going on in this verse? What is being described for us?

A simple description is: God told nature to do something, and nature responded by obeying.

It sounds simple and easy, right? God speaks, obedience follows.

It is, however, a bit more complicated. Let me explain what I mean.

If you were to walk to the edge of a river and tell it to reverse its flow, would anything happen? Surely you understand that the answer is 'no' (especially if you decided to try). There are a few reasons for this. First, man does not possess the authority over the entirety of nature (animals, yes) that would give any sort of importance to such a command. God, however, as the Creator of the entirety of nature, possesses the high authority and importance which calls forth obedience for His commands.

Another reason would be that water itself does not have the power to change its flow. It is governed by a set of laws (which we define as gravity and a bunch of other equations) over which it has no authority or control. Even if water tried to change its flow, nothing would happen unless someone with authority provided the power to do so. For nature (and all of creation), God is the one with that power.

Applying these thoughts to the verse we just read, what can we learn about God?

1. God holds the highest authority over everything,
   because He is the Creator of everything.
   
   
2. God's commands hold the highest level of importance
   and therefore should be followed
   
   
3. God has power that is above all "laws"
   God created all of the governing "laws" for creation. Just as He lives outside of His creation, He works and acts outside of the "laws" surrounding His creation.

Those are some amazing qualities of God to learn about. An important question, however, is of how this should affect our lives. Knowing these things we have learned about God and creation, how are we called to respond to God? How can this knowledge influence how we live?

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

If you notice, God did not need to repeat His command before it was followed. To make certain God's commands for our lives are followed just as resolutely, we need to be listening for His commands. To be certain we are not missing what God is saying to us, we must be actively listening for Him to speak. One great way to do this is to set aside prayer time where you cease your run-on monologue and wait for God to respond. God loves when you share your thoughts with Him, but a conversation requires both speaking and listening.
Another great way is to set aside a few hours (at least once a week, preferably) to ignore the busy-ness of life and spend alone time with God.

This verse can also help us remember that, when we are called to endure difficult or complicated situations, God is the one who needs to act for anything to happen. It is only through the power of God that we can succeed in fulfilling His commands.

Our weaknesses and struggles cannot hinder the plans of God.