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.
Genesis 1:29
This morning we start a new two week daily reflection series which will hopefully help us to understand a little more about God, who he is and how we should interact with him.
In Genesis chapter 1 we meet the creator God. ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ (Genesis 1:1) Genesis chapter 1 goes onto explain how everything in the world, land, sea, sky, seasons, times of day, tree and plant life, animal and human life was created by God. The repeated theme throughout creation is that God pauses and looks at what he has created declaring it good.
The one standout difference in creation is how God created humanity in his own image. ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.‘ (Genesis 1:27)
Notice again how often in this one verse we are being told that God is creator. Three times in verse 27, So God created… in the image of God he created them… male and female he created them…
Scripture is making clear without God we would not be, without God we would have no world to live in. Everything we have and do is because of God. John in the opening chapters of his gospel picked up in this point when he said, ‘Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.’ (John 1:3)
With this position as creator comes authority. It is because God created all things, so he can claim ownership over them. (Remember he also created humanity) We see God’s authority throughout the creative process. God governs how dark and light should be separated, land and see, night and day and the seasons…
This authority goes beyond nature. It extends into how his human creation should live. “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.” God instructs his creation as to what they can and cannot eat. In Genesis chapter 2 this instruction is expanded when God planted the Garden of Eden with the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life in the centre. Humanity is allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
No reason is given as to why, just the consequences if God is disobeyed. ‘For when you eat from it you will certainly die.‘ (Genesis 2:17) Ultimately it was humanity’s disregard of God’s authority that led to it’s ultimate downfall, the consequences of which we still live with today.
If we understand God is creator of all things, then at the same time we must accept the authority God has because he is creator. We live in world that rebels against all authority. We have become just like the people of Israel at the end of the book of Judges when there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
We may not like how God has said we should live. We may not like his standard of morality or what he has said is right or wrong. We may well be offended at the thought of God being displeased at how we live, or that he gives an instruction for us to stop doing one thing, or to start doing another. It is because he is creator God that he has the right to command in this way.
The question we are faced with is will we respond to our creator God in obedience or will we live as though there was no king in Israel doing what is right in our own eyes.
Prayer Heavenly Father, this morning we acknowledge you as our creator. We thank you for the gift of life you have given us, the environment and resources you have given us to maintain that life. We confess that we have neither lived nor used this world in a way which honours your commands to us. Forgive us, and teach us and help us to submit to your ways, to live with you as our king, doing not what is right in our eyes, but yours. Amen