Thursday 12th January
Read Genesis 1:29-31
“Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground – everything that has the breath of life in it – I give every green plant for food.’ And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning – the sixth day.” (NIVUK)
At the end of the sixth day, God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Seven times we have the declaration that creation was good. Some consider this ‘goodness’ to consist of perfection, the absence of death and conflict and sin and tragedy. I am not amongst that number though I confess that places me in the minority. The goodness God declares, I think, is more likely associated with the idea of ‘fit for purpose’ – creation was perfect for the plans that God had for it. It is a mirror of the form and function, the fullness and blessing possible within the order God imposed upon creation. It is an order that allows for delegation and diversity within the boundaries God established (though we can’t fully explore that within the structure of this majestic poem).
Creation was ‘good’ for humanity and it perfectly reflected the ‘goodness’ of God. We don’t pay as much attention to the ‘goodness’ of God as we might for a description that occurs over 700 times in Scripture. It is important that God is ‘good’! It is the basis of trust and the surest bridge to experiencing His love.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing…
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.” (Psalm 23:1, 6) (NIVUK)
“Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8) (NIVUK)
Jesus describes Himself as the ‘good shepherd’, the one who blesses and knows and cares for His people…(John 10:11, 14). The comfort and care of the shepherd for the sheep, who satisfies their needs and provides rest, is at the heart of His purposes. He calls us into the rest that is itself built into creation itself on the seventh day…
Spend some time today reflecting on the goodness of God, counting your blessings and praising Him. For He created a world for us that was ‘good’ in every way.
