Simple Power,
Displayed so Casually!
Genesis 1:3
I am always struck
by the simple power displayed so casually in the Bible. We humans are awed
by power. We are impressed by the power of a lightning storm, or the
terrible majesty of a waterfall. We are continually beset by the power of
the oceans tides, and the inexorable floods that result from heavy rains.
Though we have "tamed" the atom; we still are not fully
understanding of its intricacies and complexities. We admire, for the most
part, powerful men and who doesn't whistle in amazement at the military
might of a huge aircraft carrier at sea? I recently had the opportunity to
watch a European style circus. One of the acts was two young men who
performed a number of incredible strength acts, very slowly and
deliberately. It was simply spell-binding to watch their controlled power
on display.
The power to exercise our imaginations and create something in the image
of a new idea in our minds is an ability to be coveted. The beauty of
great music and the subtleties of a master's painting spellbind and amaze
us. A well written part of a book, be it exciting, funny or terribly sad
can move our hearts. We generally admire those who are so creative as to
be able to use their media to affect us. Yet, we are compelled to note
that even these creative ones are only using something that God has given
them. Adam was created in the image of God, as was Eve. Though every
person after Adam's fall was procreated in Adam's image, they (and we)
still bear the image of God in significant degree. All of our creativity
springs from God's own creativity instilled in us.
In this passage, we see God creating. that in itself is not so amazing. We
would expect the God of the universe to be able to create; it kind of goes
with the "God-territory"! What is amazing and thrilling about
this passage is the ease with which god does the creating. It took
Leonardo DaVinci many months to do the paintings on the ceiling of the
Chapel in the Vatican. Long weeks of scraping and mixing and climbing and
painting were endured to produce that masterpiece of human achievement.
Yet, here we are told that God accomplished things beyond our ability to
create, and He did it in 6 single days! Not only that, He did it, not by
the sweat of His brow, but rather by simply speaking!
Here, as always, the power of God is simply demonstrated in what is an
often quiet and understated fashion. God wished to create the world...and
so He spoke and it was so. He did not use anything that was pre-existing
either! He created the world from nothing. We don't know "what"
was around before the creation, that is one for the philosophers I fear.
What we do know is that God not merely some artist who shifts around
pigments or chips away at stone to create. No, God is far more, far
stronger than that. God speaks, and from nothing springs all that is!
"Let there be Light" - spoken once and enduring for all time.
What a powerful God we serve!
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