Romans 1:20, “There are things about God that people cannot see–his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse.”
Last week we thought about: Genesis 1: “And God said, Let…” and again in
Genesis 1: “And God saw” “It was good” then v. 31 “It was very good.”
This week we note in Genesis 1:5, 8, 10, that “God called…” There are various words used for call in the Bible. 1. Call to someone, 2. Name something. 3. Ecclesia = “called out ones” (`primary calling`). 4. Called to follow Jesus in everyday life, (`secondary calling`).
- The call in Genesis 1 means to name something (as someone has said): “to call means to call into being or make. Thus in first chapter of Genesis…This type of calling is far more than labeling, hanging a nametag on something to identify it. Such decisive, creative naming is a form of making…Calling is not only a matter of being and doing what we are but also becoming what we are not yet but are called by God to be…the fusion of being and becoming.” Note the following:
- a) Day 1, ‘light’ called ‘day’, ‘darkness’ called ‘night’.
- b) Day 2, ‘expanse’ = sky.
- c) Day 3, Dry ground = land, ‘gathered waters’ = ‘seas’.
God in creating, making, establishing, forming His creation, names what He created by calling. The days of creation have purpose which speaks to His reality. In the six days of Creation we see: “Function, Fruitfulness, Fullness and fulfillment.”
God has a plan and a pattern as He creates, He knows what He is doing and will continue to fulfil His plan, not only in creation but in our lives.
- Exodus 3:11 Moses said: “Who am I?” For 40 years he lived in the King`s palace with the privileges of being a son of Pharaoh. Because of what he did he had to flee Egypt and spend the next 40 years in another country looking after his father-in-law`s sheep. Now at age 80 God reveals Himself to Moses and calls him for the next 40 years to realize God`s purpose for the final stage of his life and journey.
- Zig Ziglar: “What you get by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what you will become by reaching your destination.”
In God`s marvellous work of Creation we soon realize that everything and everyone are created for a purpose! In naming, God isn’t just sticking labels on His creation. He has given us being, we are here for a purpose! We live in a world that often gets its identity from money, status, fashion, work, reputation, even church, etc. Good as they are we as Christians, believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, have our identity in our Lord Jesus.
- Colossians 1:16, “By Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.”
Romans 8:18-30: “The creation waits…” There is, as we look at nature, an expectancy, a waiting, a sense of needing more than there is. 2 Peter 3:13: “New heaven and new earth.” There is meaning in all that God does. Nature will share in the restoration and recognition of the children of God for the created Universe will be redeemed.
- Romans 8:21, “The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
What a day that will be! Praise God!
Your friend and pastor
Jim