NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

January 19

Scripture focus: God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, every sort of fruit-bearing tree." And there it was. Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, all varieties, and fruit-bearing trees of all sorts. God saw that it was good. It was evening, it was morning— Day Three. God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years, lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth." And there it was. God made two big lights, the larger to take charge of Day, the smaller to be in charge of Night; and he made the stars. God placed them in the heavenly sky to light up Earth and oversee Day and Night, to separate light and dark. God saw that it was good. It was evening, it was morning— Day Four. God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!" God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters, and every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!" It was evening, it was morning— Day Five. God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds." And there it was: wild animals of every kind, cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good. God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." Then God said, "I've given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth and every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food." And there it was. God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning— Day Six. Genesis 1:11-30, The Message

My husband and I have three children that we delight in studying. We’ve spent their lifetimes learning how God knit them together. We eagerly anticipate learning new things about their true, God-created selves. On my desk I keep constant reminders of who they are and who they are becoming. I select these childish pictures, photos, and cards with care. When Scott wrote that he wanted to be Hans Solo, I cherished this memory and a picture of his Halloween-costumed Hans Solo self - not because I think Scott is well-suited for space travel and laser sword fighting (Son if you really want it bad enough go for it!)– but because I believe. I believe that when God blessed us with the charge, “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!” – he meant it. He delights in our big dreams and child-like intentions to save the world from the dark forces of evil. When God looked over everything he made, and it was so good, so very good, I don’t think God got it wrong. Obviously, we’ve got to wrestle with the implications of the nasty fruit tasting incident. True enough, there are plenty of indications that the world is going to you-know-where in a hand basket. But that is not the only truth nor even the central one. God saw that it was so good, so very good. May we join God in prayer as we eagerly anticipate our role in God’s epic adventure – as we fight the forces of darkness so that the light of God’s love will shine on all his children. Pray! Pray that it may be so!

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