Tiny Little Things

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse.
And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
Genesis 1:6-8

As I was reading about God’s command to separate the waters under and above the expanse, this interesting imagination came into my mind, “So everything was water before? Weih, that must be chaotic and suffocating!” I thought. But look at what He did! God made the expanse so that the waters could be in order. Isn’t that genius?!! God did not just make the world, but made it to be in order, orderly. It was the character of God we also find in Paul’s teaching to His people in Corinth. Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” Scene by scene in the story of creation, God puts everything well organized to match the whole episode of the creation. This God of order has also given us His order, the authoritative instruction for us to follow His plan.

Life can get messy sometimes, and we too make things mess up. But knowing that our God is the God of order gives us faith that in Him everything will fall into place. Now we know that God is able to turn every messy situation sorted out in no time. But why does He not do anything in our life? We see bad things happen, the bad guys win, and we doubt if God even exists!

Dear brothers and sisters, God is able. He is very much able to fix this world and your very world in seconds. But if He did it according to our will, we would not appreciate His works and would just take His blessings for granted. Instead, He has told us:

"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Not only a call to come to Him, but to rest. Not only to rest, but to take His yoke and learn from Him. Learning is not easy for some, but remember that a yoke traditionally should be carried by two animals. If we are to carry the yoke God gives, who will carry it together with us? Yup, God Himself. He humbles Himself to walk beside us carrying the yoke together, and that’s how His yoke is easy and the burden is light. God calls us to learn from Him, for He is gentle and lowly. We’ll learn from Him, of His words, works and deeds He has revealed. That’s how life will then be in order.

God’s creativity with purpose

After we come to know that God is the God of order, we could expect that there is something next in line. The waters He separated to later on create things on and in them, giving purpose to the ones that once was empty and meaningless. God makes everything in and with His purpose, not only for the present but eternity.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9

Isaiah 55 is a call to repentance and promise of salvation from the LORD to His people Israel. The Lord called the people He has redeemed, but who have become deaf and blind, refusing His warning. In His love, God called them still to repent from their sins and return their hearts from empty worship. He revealed His thoughts, the thoughts of Him that created the expanse and hold the waters in their position, the thoughts that are higher than ours. Isn’t this call also for us to seek Him and walk in His purpose?

God is the playwright

Have you been to a performance hall? In theater or musical performances, the opening act traditionally starts with the curtain up and the display of certain designs on the cyclorama to set the narrative. The arrangement of this scene is carefully chosen and arranged by the playwright or director of the drama. I imagine it to be similar with what God did in creating the expanse! God was preparing the earth to have more stuff made on this cyclorama. The birds on the sky, fish in the waters, plants and vegetations on the dry land, man and woman in God’s own image and likeness, also the divine fellowship of God and His creation, all would later be created orderly on in this empty framework. I was thinking that this too pictured what God can and will do in our lives as cyclorama and God as the playwright. He has created us in His image, and is working in us to show the beauty of His glory!

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."
Romans 11:36