God made it all

The birds and the bees, the flowers and trees,
The stars in the sky, the little butterflies;
The rivers and creeks, the cool summer breeze,
The clouds and the leaves, the plants and the seeds,
Everything we see, God made it all!

The rabbits and squirrels, little boys and girls,
Our fingers and hands, each woman and man;
The dogs and their fleas, the creatures of the deep,
The he's and she's, yes, even you and even me,
Everything we see, God made it all!

In summary, the simple truth of the creation story is that God is the author of creation. In Genesis 1 we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation.

God was very pleased with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stopped, observed his handiwork and saw that it was good. On final inspection of all that he had made, God regarded it as "very good." This is a great time to remind ourselves that we are part of God's creation. Even when you don't feel worthy of his pleasure, remember that God made you and is pleased with you. You are of great worth to him.

In verse 26, God says, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." This is the only instance in the creation account that God uses the plural form to refer to himself. It's interesting to note that this happens just as he begins to create man. Many scholars believe this is the Bible's first reference to the Trinity.

On the seventh day, God rested. It's hard to come up with a reason why God would need to rest, but apparently he considered it important. Rest is often an unfamiliar concept in our busy, fast-paced world. It's socially unacceptable to take an entire day to rest. Yet God knows we need times of refreshing. Our example, Jesus, spent time alone away from the crowds. So, we should not feel guilty when we take time each week to rest and renew our bodies, souls, and spirits.

The story clearly shows that God was enjoying himself as he went about the work of creation. As noted previously, six times he stops and savours his accomplishments. If God takes pleasure in his handiwork, is there anything wrong with us feeling good about our achievements?

Do you enjoy your work? Whether it's your job, your hobby, or your ministry service, if your work is pleasing to God then it should also bring pleasure to you. Consider the work of your hands. What things are you doing to bring pleasure to both you and God?