Everywhere You Look – Indescribable Part 1
All around us we can see evidence of the limitless creativity of the Creator, but we mustn’t miss that human beings are the pinnacle of that creation and are made in the image of God. We were made to be creative.
Do you ever take time to reflect on the extraordinary beauty and creativity of the natural world? Do you ever take the time to reflect that everywhere we look are remarkable features, plants and creatures – it is remarkable. The creation story in Genesis is often misunderstood, parodied or dismissed as a fairy tale. It is often the cause of huge debate and argument but that only happens when we miss the whole point. The Genesis story of creation is much more about the who than the how. You can find it here.
The beginning of the story of God sets out God as a designer, a creator, someone who brings order to chaos, purpose to meaninglessness, form to chaos and value to worthlessness.
In verses 26 and 28 for the first time God designs and creates something made in his own image and it is us, human beings. Reflecting the image of something was another really important idea in the ancient culture that this was written in, something that was created in the image of another carried its essence and the creator could accomplish purpose through the created. The created could reflect the attributes of the creator. If we believe that human beings are created in the image of God, then it implies that human beings have a divine fingerprint on and in them. Human beings have a divine essence and the capacity to reflect the attributes of God however imperfectly and to act on his behalf.
In verse 28 subdue and rule are not words that we should take to mean domination and using however we like. They are words that imply care and stewardship. Reminder to us that we are supposed to take care of this amazing world, to be good stewards of all that has been entrusted to us. Reminder that everywhere we look are pointers to our responsibility to care for the world.
If everywhere we look there is evidence for a creator should we not figure out if we believe that there is one and what that creator might be like? If everywhere we look there are reminders to us to take care of this amazing planet shouldn’t we take action to take care of it?
Shouldn’t each of us take our responsibility to play our part?Recycle, be passionate about the environment, find a great organisation who are working to combat climate change and join in with their work? And if everywhere we look we see human beings who are the pinnacle of God’s creation who matter so much to him shouldn’t we make it our mission in life to show love, care, compassion and to share God’s love with human beings wherever they are, wherever we can, however God leads us?
To find out more about Next Steps at Andover Baptist Church check out the NextSteps web page.
Questions to reflect on in your small group or on your own:
- What is it about the natural world that you love or that sparks something in you?
- What does it mean for God to not simply have been a manfacturer, but a designer?
- What does it say about the nature and character of God that he is creative?
- What does it mean for human beings to be the pinnacle of all that God created?
- When you read of God’s wow moment (very good!) what does it inspire or encourage in you?
- What next steps are you going to take to ensure that you play your part in caring for our world?
Listen to the full talk on our podcast below…