In the beginning there was God.
Genesis 1:1-5
They lived there – in eternity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. One in three, three in one, which was, and is, and is to come.
Within them dwelt all good things – joy and peace, and so much love. Such loss to have so much and have no one to share it with.
A delightful thought! Oh, what bliss. A kingdom, a nation, seed of seed, Paradise!
The thought welled up inside of them. Excitement filled their hearts. One would be Heaven, one would be Earth.
“Yes, Yes,” smiled God. “A Heaven and an Earth.”
Into being He called them, and they were. There, like the potter’s clay, waiting – desolate – empty – void. Waiting in darkness to be formed and shaped. The very depths of heaven and earth lay still – expecting.
Down came the breath of God, fluttering across the face of the waters. The living waters, the catalyst of all things to come. Sent abroad by God the Holy Spirit, one day to be released in all living things. One day to be released into you, into me.
Then God spoke into the waters, “Let there be light.”
The joy of God rose up, bright and clear, lighting the heaven, lighting the earth. It was a good thing.
The brightness of His joy shown greatly. Yes, it was good.
Yet, who would know light if there was no darkness, or darkness if there was no light? Joy if there was no emptiness, emptiness if there was no joy?
Up God stood, creating He both, one side darkness, one side light. Separate, one from the other. The light rested at His right hand. He called the light Day. In His left hand He grasped the darkness. Twisting it away from the light. The darkness he called Night.
From the dusk of the evening, traveling into the darkness, to the dawn of the new morning, coming safely out of the darkness, was the first day.
Genesis 1:6 – 8
Ah, yes, it had begun. It was the beginning of time – the first strokes from the Master’s palette.
Filled with excitement God began to dance. Around and around He spun, laughing and dancing. He reached out with His mighty arm and cut through the waters as He spun about.
“Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters. Let it divide the waters from the waters.”
As he spun the waters above pulled up high, carving the giant arch of the sky. The waters below remained level, trembling as He danced, swelling with the music that played within Him, receding with the peace within the Master’s soul, knowing all was well.
There they danced together, the Father, the Son the Holy Spirit, and the waters of the sky He called heaven. There they danced.
From the dusk of the evening, traveling into the darkness, to the dawn of the new morning, coming safely out of the darkness, it was now the second day.
Genesis 1:9 – 13
There stood He – there stood they – enjoying the fruits of His dance. As far as the eye could see, as far as the mind could imagine, there rose the sky. Painted royal blue, pure and clear.
Searching the waters below the heaven, God began to leap as He danced.
“Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.”
The land had patiently waited for its time. Now, with every setting down of His foot the land pushed up from below. Joyfully He danced. Joyfully He laughed. The breath of His laughter blew upon the rising land and it dried as it rose, taking shape.
As He danced and rejoiced the mountains climbed to kiss the hem of His garment, then rose again to meet the hem of the sky. The hills and valleys made their place, and the waters gathered together in the lowest places.
The dry land called He Earth and the gathered waters called He Seas. There forever to stand, hand in hand, to prepare the Eden to come. They reached back and forth, grasping strength, one from the other, flowing together over the subtle boundaries appointed to them.
God watched and smiled. It was good.
Once again He began to dance, scattering visions of abundance upon the new earth.
“Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth.”
And even as He spoke the fragile blades pushed through the new land of this place called earth. Up rose the grass, the herb, the trees and the bushes – each with the seed to bring new life, inside its tender flower.
Up rose the fruit tree, with sweet tender fruit, kissed by the laughter of God as He saw the beauty of its bough, and knew of the pleasures and blessings it would bring to those yet to come.
Quickly it grew and budded and bloomed, dropping its precious seed to birth and grow and multiply. Precious plants of different species and gifts. Each needing another of its own kind to pollinate the buds of the new plants to come. Each species with a seed of its own, to bear its own kind, again and again and again. Each brought forth with a special purpose, a special need to meet, all a precious part of the vision God saw.
Nothing laid waste. Nothing was set without a plan. Everything was perfectly fitted together.
From the dusk of the evening, traveling into the darkness, to the dawn of the new morning, coming safely out of the darkness, this was the third day.
Genesis 1:14 – 19
As He tipped back His head God gave a shout of laughter. He spread His arms wide and cherished the great dome called heaven.
“Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.”
As He stood, arms wide, a glow grew from within Him and spread all about. No longer could the edge of light and the edge darkness be seen, but one flowed and melted into the other, slowly, gently.
Into His right hand He blew and there grew a great light. Casting it deep into the heaven, it took its place high into the light. This was the light appointed to govern the day.
Into His left hand He blew and a lesser light formed. He cast it deep into the heaven and it went high into the darkness. This was the light appointed to govern the night.
He cupped His hands together and blew within. A glow danced between His palms, illuminating the beauty of His presence. Casting them out He scattered the stars far into the depths of the firmament. Deep into this place called heaven. There they shown brightly against the darkness of night. Some shown so bright that they could even be seen through the light of day.
These lights, great and small, were set precisely in the firmament, assigned to make a light upon the earth. Proudly in their places, they received their appointment with greatest honor – to govern the day, to govern the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.
God watched as they began the purpose they were ordained for. Resting in the heaven; watchful, strong, sure. The warmth of the greater light caressed His face.
“Yes,” God nodded, it was good.
From the dusk of the evening, traveling into the darkness, to the dawn of the new morning, coming safely out of the darkness, this was the fourth day.
Genesis 1:20 – 23
Down He knelt and touched the waters with His hand. As He raised it to His lips the waters trickled down His arm. Deep He looked into the water, then around at the dry land. He stood and scanned the horizon of trees; now fully grown, fruitful, preparing to drop precious seeds.
“Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”
With the vibration of His mighty voice the waters began to tremble and shake. Within the vibration grew a vibration. Swarming, creeping, growing – new life in the depths of the waters. From the smallest invertebrate to the giant whale, each in schools of its own species, there grew the first life.
And as the sea swelled with the abundance of new birth, birds filled the boughs of the trees and soared against the blue of heaven. Each species resting within its own species, immediately starting the cycle of new life.
“Yes,” it was good.
As He knelt there He blessed them, all that had come.
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
From the dusk of the evening, traveling into the darkness, to the dawn of the new morning, coming safely out of the darkness, this was the fifth day.
Genesis 1:24 – 31
The birds painted the sky with the graceful strokes of their wings. They sang praises to the Master, Father God. The skies were filled with their anthem chorus. The great whales and the dolphins echoed back their own song of worship. The earth was alive with rejoicing.
“Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind,” said God.
There, from the bushes, the caverns, and the trees walked the fruits of new life. Each with its own kind, each in harmony with the other. The great beasts and the small. The reptiles and the rodents. All taking its place in the cycle of life. Each recognizing its need for the other.
The lion and the lamb lay at His feet. The truth of the moment, the truth of Eden, a prophesy of a day to come.
God tarried there, enjoying the moment of innocence. Cherishing what had become. He saw that it was good.
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
Sitting upon a rock God leaned forward and scooped together the warm soil. He raised His hands up and allowed the powdery soil to trickle through His fingers. Moving left to right, right to left, the soil fell to the ground.
As it touched the face of the earth it began to move and take shape. An arm, a leg, the torso, the head. Down upon it God blew, moving the powdery residue away from the new creation.
He lifted this man from the cradle of his birth and blew into his face. The man gasped his first breath and opened his eyes – looking innocently into the face of God. Out of the dirt grew bone and muscle, blood and sinew. Out of the earth came love and joy, long-suffering and gentleness. Out of the soil came man, created in the image of God, resembling Him in feature and form.
With the guiding strength of God’s hand man stood and surveyed the land that God had appointed him to rule. He did not fear the vastness, he did not fear the task of naming and ruling and subduing all that had been created. But he did fear the times of loneliness in those times when God was not walking with him or talking to him. He had so much to share.
God felt the man’s loneliness, his sadness, his pain, and he brought to man woman. Created by God, out of man. Bone of his bone, blood of his blood, a woman to share all of his days.
As the knelt, hand in hand, man and woman, at the feet of God, He blessed them and said unto them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
“Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat.”
Man and woman turned and beheld all that God had given them. Every creature, great and small, ate of the green herb and grasses that grew. Every fish, every fowl, every mammal ate of the same food. There was no fear, there was no danger, only appointed positions to which God had called them.
This was the land that man and woman were to call into order, by the grace of God. These were the seas that would carry the precious life that could only survive in the waters. This was the heaven and earth they were to rule and reign over. This was their home.
Hand in hand they walked away from the glorious presence of God and into the land before them. God watched as the creatures of the sea, the fowl of the air and the creatures of the land humbled themselves before the two called man and woman. He saw them warmed by the sun and caressed by the herbs beneath their feet. The sky crowned their heads and the flowers of the land adorned them.
“Yes,” thought God. It was VERY good.
From the dusk of the evening, traveling into the darkness, to the dawn of the new morning, coming safely out of the darkness, this was the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1 – 4
There stood God, in the midst of them. He gazed far to the east, then deep into the west. He turned and searched north and then again south. Slowly He turned, around and around, not wanting to miss the slightest blessing.
It was finished. The heavens, the earth, the creatures above, the creatures below, and those that walked the land. It was finished. Creation.
On this day, the seventh day, God rested. He savored the breeze and the warmth of the sun. He cherished the rich green grass beneath His feet, and the water that caressed His hands as He dipped them. He revered man and woman and the moments they would share as they walked the paths of Eden in the cool of the evening.
He memorized the cut of the mountain and the velvet of the hills. With fatherly pride He watched as each creature walked and dwelt in harmony, submitted to those made in His image.
It was finished. The dance of creation had come to a close. The staccato of the music mellowed to a sweet aria.
He sat and enjoyed this world He had created – and He rested. Such peace. This day, the last day of creation, God blessed above all others and He sanctified it.
This day would be the day, throughout all of the generations, that would be set aside, dedicated and holy. A day each week for that special intimate communion with the one true God.
And this was the order of creation. This was the generation of the heaven and the earth. This was the plan that God set into motion for the world before us. This was new life.
THIS WAS GOOD.
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By Linda J. Humes
Written 5-26-99
Tags: Creation, Dance, Genesis, God, Good, Joy, Laughter
Linda J. Humes 