Day 4: Genesis 1:9-13
Devotional
READ GENESIS 1:9-13
My kids wake up every morning to the sounds of me and Christina laying the foundation of the day. I’m usually making breakfast. Christina is often putting the finishing touches on the kid’s schoolwork for the day (We started homeschooling the girls last year). I am certain that it doesn’t dawn on them at all that they are able to start their day because we were up early laying the foundation for it, and often even planning it out the night before. But if something doesn’t go exactly as they think it should, they are quick to panic, point fingers, and even question the plan for the day. Anyone that has spent time with kids probably has a similar story, and if we are honest with ourselves, we often give God the same treatment.
In Genesis 1:9-13 we read the description of the third day of creation during which God commands the waters to gather together, allowing dry land to appear, and then causes vegetation to grow. We see that God has absolute authority over His new creation as he brings more order by separating the dry land and the sea, but also as he brings life to the dry land by creating plant life that would continue to propagate itself by bearing fruit and seed.
Just like my kids, I often overlook that God was "awake" long before I was, setting His plans in motion. But these aren't just any plans—they are good plans, designed specifically for my good (Romans 8:28). When God laid the foundations of the world, He had you and me in mind. Before He created Adam and Eve, He was already at work, making dry land for them and filling it with plant life so that they could survive. This theme of God's preparation and provision repeats itself throughout scripture. And if we're honest, when we reflect on our own lives, we can see God's faithfulness in our stories as well. We realize that He truly does go before us (Deuteronomy 31:8).
At the end of the third day, God looked back at the dry land, the seas, and the new world filled with plant life and said, "It is good." Perhaps a more relatable translation might be, "This is going to work." His statement was based on the evidence of what was before Him. He could see His plan working and coming to life. I believe He provides similar evidence for us to trust in His plans. If we had perfect insight, we too would be able to see what He is doing and say, "Yes, this is going to work." Unfortunately, we don't have that perfect insight, but we do have the ability to look back and see that God has been faithful.
In Genesis, before He created Adam and Eve, God was already making the Earth a place for them. Similarly, by reflecting on our own lives, we can see that God was hard at work for us long before we ever saw our first sunrise.
My kids wake up every morning to the sounds of me and Christina laying the foundation of the day. I’m usually making breakfast. Christina is often putting the finishing touches on the kid’s schoolwork for the day (We started homeschooling the girls last year). I am certain that it doesn’t dawn on them at all that they are able to start their day because we were up early laying the foundation for it, and often even planning it out the night before. But if something doesn’t go exactly as they think it should, they are quick to panic, point fingers, and even question the plan for the day. Anyone that has spent time with kids probably has a similar story, and if we are honest with ourselves, we often give God the same treatment.
In Genesis 1:9-13 we read the description of the third day of creation during which God commands the waters to gather together, allowing dry land to appear, and then causes vegetation to grow. We see that God has absolute authority over His new creation as he brings more order by separating the dry land and the sea, but also as he brings life to the dry land by creating plant life that would continue to propagate itself by bearing fruit and seed.
Just like my kids, I often overlook that God was "awake" long before I was, setting His plans in motion. But these aren't just any plans—they are good plans, designed specifically for my good (Romans 8:28). When God laid the foundations of the world, He had you and me in mind. Before He created Adam and Eve, He was already at work, making dry land for them and filling it with plant life so that they could survive. This theme of God's preparation and provision repeats itself throughout scripture. And if we're honest, when we reflect on our own lives, we can see God's faithfulness in our stories as well. We realize that He truly does go before us (Deuteronomy 31:8).
At the end of the third day, God looked back at the dry land, the seas, and the new world filled with plant life and said, "It is good." Perhaps a more relatable translation might be, "This is going to work." His statement was based on the evidence of what was before Him. He could see His plan working and coming to life. I believe He provides similar evidence for us to trust in His plans. If we had perfect insight, we too would be able to see what He is doing and say, "Yes, this is going to work." Unfortunately, we don't have that perfect insight, but we do have the ability to look back and see that God has been faithful.
In Genesis, before He created Adam and Eve, God was already making the Earth a place for them. Similarly, by reflecting on our own lives, we can see that God was hard at work for us long before we ever saw our first sunrise.
Personal Reflection
What evidence exists in your life to suggest that God has been at work in your life?
What are some doubts and fears that you need to express to him today?
What evidence of his faithfulness do you need to praise him for today?
What are some doubts and fears that you need to express to him today?
What evidence of his faithfulness do you need to praise him for today?
Posted in The Beginning Devotionals
5 Comments
“This is going to work” is great! What an encouraging way to think about God’s plan and His involvement in my life. It was great to read those words this morning. Thanks Dustin!
I appreciate this insight into a familiar passage and the reminder that God goes before me. “This is going to work” feels like a great daily reminder to have faith in the trustworthiness of God - it always works!
The people in my life is how God has been at work in my life. There are so many people in my life that I care about, I don’t know what I would be like without them!
Awesome devo, Dustin. love the idea of God being awake long before us, setting His plans for us in motion for us to walk in. Sounds a bit like Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Sometimes it’s hard to see God and His faithfulness in the pain and chaos of life. That is when we need the “church”. Thank you for this reminder of God “At work” in our lives—even in the chaos when we can’t see and feel him.