Tag Archives: Genesis 1

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God Created

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“God Created”

Genesis 1:1-6, 26-28 – June 11, 2023

            With June, everything is blooming! All kinds of trees, plants, flowers and leaves are growing and blossoming, and it’s just like that song from the great American songbook, “June is Busting Out All Over!” We can easily see how much joy God took in creating the heavens and the earth, with how green and verdant all of nature appears, outside.

            And, God not only created the plants and growing things. The Lord created a whole lot more! As Genesis 1 tells us, God created all living things on the earth, sea and sky, and all the heavenly bodies in the universe, too. A mighty act of creation, for our mighty God! 

            This act of creation comes at the very beginning of things, in the very beginning of the Bible. Genesis chapter 1. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

            We are starting our summer sermon series today, Re-imaging God. This series will highlight different ways of thinking about and naming attributes of our God. In this series, we will work on stretching ourselves! We will try to enlarge our image of our God.

            The words we use are important – not only the words we say, but the words we read on the printed page. The words of Scripture are all important, too. Let us take a closer look at how verses 1 and 2 describe our God. Verse 1 (the summary statement for this chapter) says that “God created.” God created the heavens up above and the earth beneath. Verse 2 describes the Spirit of God as “hovering over the waters.”

            This lean, spare description is marvelous! Can you see it? The dark heavens and the earth, formless, empty, just waiting for something to happen.

I don’t know whether you are aware, but different languages use different articles for nouns. In English, we all say “the cat” and “the dog,” and by the article “the,” they could be either male or female animals. However, many languages are structured differently.

In German or Italian, Spanish or Greek, different nouns are gendered. It’s a “male dog,” or a “female cat.” The article “the” in front of the noun changes with the word. Plus, the gender of the verbs must agree with the gender of the nouns! Any native English speaker who learns one of these languages in school struggles with the gender of the nouns and matching the proper articles and proper gender of verbs with the nouns!

It’s the same way with the Spirit of God. In the original language of the Hebrew Scriptures, “Spirit” is feminine. What’s more, the Spirit of God hovering or brooding over the waters is – according to the Hebrew language – a feminine Spirit. This verb “hovering” is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 32, where the mother eagle is protective towards her young in the nest. The “hovering” of the Spirit is a mothering activity! Here in Genesis, the Spirit of God, the Ruach ha Kodesh, is a protective, nurturing presence over the still formless waters. [1]

            Just so we do not get lost in the weeds of different languages, here’s the highlight I want us all to focus on. Whether Scripture is in Hebrew or Greek, “both masculine and feminine verbs are used for God, masculine for God, feminine for the Spirit. [And as we will see,] God’s human creation will reflect their creator as female and male.” [2]

               Seeing the nurturing, mothering nature of mammals, of dogs, cats, and humans – these mental images of puppies, kittens and babies can bring to mind gentle caring, loving encouragement, and supportive love. These are exactly the kinds of things that describe the activities of the Spirit of God! Plus, God the Father is caring, loving and supportive, too!

And what about the Good Shepherd? That’s Jesus, I want everyone to know. Remember how Jesus cares for His sheep, and how in several places in the Gospels Jesus is described as a loving, supportive Good Shepherd who guards, guides and protects His sheep.

            Isn’t it wonderful to see God as a mothering, nurturing God? Not only mighty and strong – a just, even stern, protector. Yes, God is all of those things. And, mothering and nurturing, caring and loving, too! Both/and – not either/or.

            Let us continue with verse 26: “Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” God has created humans male and female. We, as humans, are created in the image of God! And, this whole chapter of Genesis 1 follows the same pattern, using pronouns of both genders.

            “We forget that Genesis 1 is a chapter brimming with goodness and blessing. In fact, God pronounces blessing on the created order three times. [God] calls creation “good” and “very good” seven times.” [3]

            We can see how the earth – the world – the universe was lovingly, joyfully created by God. And, whether we think of the feminine Spirit of God or the almighty Lord, or the Word that was in the beginning (from the Gospel of John), the preincarnate Son of God – however we consider the Triune God – all we can do is lift our hands in worship, thanksgiving and praise.

 What will you and I do with this fresh understanding of God? This understanding that transcends gender? “The creation story insists that God’s mark is imprinted on my very being. I might ignore or distort it, but the mark is always there. Whether I acknowledge it or not, I reflect something of God’s joy, God’s intentions, God’s love, and God’s beauty just by virtue of existing on the earth. I am His, and so He is mine.” [4]

            We can go out into the world, knowing that the Creator God made each of us, all of us, in the image of God. Male and female we are made, and each is in the image of God. Just as Psalm 139 tells us, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

            Our loving, caring, nurturing Creator God created the heavens and the earth; God created all humanity, and that includes you and me, too. Praise God! Alleluia, amen. 

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] van Wijk-Bos, Johanna, W.H., “Reimagining God” (Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville, KY, 1995), 72.73.

[2] Gafney, Wilda, “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church” (Church Publishing, New York, NY, 2021), 142.

[3] https://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20140609JJ.shtml

[4] Ibid.

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The Light Will Shine!

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“The Light Will Shine!”

John 1 1-14 word cloud

John 1:1-5 – December 1, 2019

Light versus dark. Good versus evil. The powers of the Light pitted against the powers of Darkness. And, think about the Good Witch, all shiny and light, in the Wizard of Oz, as opposed to her sister the Bad Witch, all black and dark. Think of movies, and television, and fairy tales, and folk tales. All of the stories we have ever heard tell us the same thing. Everyone knows the good guy wears a white hat, and the bad guy wears a black hat.

The Gospel Scripture reading this morning comes from the first chapter of John, John 1:5, where we are told “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” But, what if we do not think of this contrast as a good versus evil set-up? What if we don’t think of this as a sharp duality, where light (or, white) is good, and dark (or, black) is bad? What then?

I know we have a number of people here in this congregation who are familiar with several languages. I suspect you are aware that sometimes it is a challenge to translate from one language to another with exactly the right words. Sometimes, the words and phrases of one language just do not quite fit the other language. So, you approximate. You give it your best effort, and try hard. But, translation is not an exact, word-for-word science. Sometimes, translation is more of an art.

That is the case with our verse from John 1, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The Greek word translated “overcome” here in the New International Version of the Bible sometimes is translated as “did not comprehend.” As in the New American Standard Version of the Bible: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

Remember, in the beginning? Way back, at the beginning of creation? John hearkens back to that beginning right here. He starts his Gospel with verse 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

God made everything that was made. All things! Yes, God made the light. Yes, God made the dark. And – this concept may blow our minds, but at the end of Genesis chapter 1, God called everything in creation very good. Everything! That includes light and dark!

John uses a comparison, a metaphor, comparing “the Light of all people” to the darkness, which could not comprehend the Light. I have heard this comparison lifted up by preachers and commentators many times in the past. Yes, it’s a vivid concept, that of Light and Dark. In fact, Jesus Himself uses this metaphor when He says “I am the Light of the world.” But, that is a whole different conversation, in a different place.

I want us to reflect about creation, and how God made all things in the beginning. God created Light and also Dark. What is more, God called them both very good!

But, wait a minute! What about all that stuff from movies, and from television, and fairy tales? What about all we have ever learned about light being good, and darkness bad?

People often thought that meant Jesus banishes the darkness. But actually, the darkness is still present. Jesus works in the midst of them both. Dark and light coexist together.

Let’s think more deeply about the dark; it is good for a lot of things. How about nocturnal creatures? Bats, opossums, cats, and owls all like the night. There are many creatures who have a thriving life in the hours between dusk and dawn. And, God made all of these creatures.

What about many baby mammals? Puppies, kittens, horses, elephants, mice, and dolphins. All of them are mammals, and all of them gestate in darkness. So often, mama animals go to a dark, quiet place to give birth. Think of a dog or cat looking for an enclosed closet or a cupboard where they can give birth to their puppies or kittens.

Darkness is not always frightening! Sometimes, the dark can be friendly and warm. As humans, we gestate in darkness, too. Comforting, calming, friendly darkness.

But, some people might still be puzzled. What did the prophet say in our Scripture reading this morning? From Isaiah 9:2, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” That sure sounds like light versus dark, good versus bad.

I would like to suggest that the prophet is using a similar metaphor, using light to express hope. Hope and goodness given by God.

What if people twist such verses, and cause them to mean painful and twisted things? Like, for instance, believing that darkness is always bad and evil—and dark or black. And sometimes, some people have the false belief, the mistaken assumption that people with lighter skin are better or more loved by God than those with darker skin. This false belief is untrue, and so damaging to so many people!

When I was a child in Sunday School, we learned the chorus “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” I wonder, do you know it, too? “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Just reminding everyone: Jesus was Jewish, and a person of color, too.

I have a good friend, a fellow pastor. He does not live here in the Chicago area any more, but moved to Oregon about a year and a half ago. He was born with sight, but due to a progressive eye disease, he lost all of his sight shortly after he turned 30 years old. He’s now in his early 60’s. and has been completely blind for decades. Is my pastor friend somehow “bad” because he is blind? Or, because he is always in the dark? No, light is not necessary for my friend to live life to the full and to pastor a church and love his children and grandchildren.

God made all things. God made all people. Everything God created, both the bright light of day and the darkness of night, are called “very good.” We have God’s word on it, from Genesis 1:31. What is more, all people—each person—is equally beloved, equally created for good, and equally made in the image of God.

When we believe that black-and-white thinking that light is only good, and darkness is only evil, we miss so much in life. Nocturnal animals, gestating babies, seeds growing in the ground. All of these are living life in the warm, friendly, nurturing darkness. Think about the good gifts of God, giving us both bright, radiating light and comforting, friendly darkness.

John chapter 1 hearkens back to that first chapter of Genesis. Yes, in the beginning God did create everything, and every person, and God called it all very good. Including the light, and including the darkness.

We can look forward to the Light of the world, God coming to earth in the Baby Jesus. We can reflect on the growing Baby inside of Mary His mother, gestating in the warm, friendly darkness of her womb. And, we can praise God for the birth of that Baby in Bethlehem, God with us, Emmanuel.

Alleluia, amen!

 

(I would like to thank illustratedministry.com for their Advent devotional “An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness.” For this sermon, I have borrowed several ideas and quotes from Week 1 of this devotional. Thanks so much!)

For further information, see info@illustratedministries.com

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my regular blog for 2019: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and my other blog,  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!