One of the stories that has captivated us for thousands of years is the creation story. We mull over how it builds from the opening lines in Genesis when God speaks light into existence. That alone boggles the mind − in the midst of vast darkness, He spoke and light was born. But of course he didn’t stop there. One thing after another that we take for granted and barely notice is spoken into existence. His final creation was to “make” man and set him in the midst of the wonders He spoke into existence.

 

Most of us know how that story continues with his creation of Eve and all they are blessed to experience and do. How staggering the privilege of naming the animals. Did the naming process include naming the trees, flowers, and other vegetation?

 

After the upending of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when they disobey God about eating from just one tree in the center of the garden, we tend to think the creation story ends. Perhaps it is a bit like the “fade out” a director creates in a movie.

 

But it didn’t stop back then.

 

How could this be a truth we miss?

 

While reading a commentary by Douglas K. Stuart on the book of Exodus, my attention was arrested with these words:

 

“The common but incorrect notion that the creation story is to be found only in the first chapters of Genesis misses the fact that the biblical picture of creation is one of ongoing creation, starting with Adam and Eve, continuing with human society in general, continuing further with Noah and the patriarchs, then with the nation Israel and many of its institutions, and culminating in the new creation (Isa. 65:17) in which all who truly place faith in Christ are recreated.”

 

After reading this I can be tempted to say that of course that makes sense, but somehow it never resonated even if it crossed my mind at some point.

 

But don’t we miss it in so many ways along the way to that day Isaiah speaks of?

 

In the northern hemisphere autumn is approaching and harvesting of many of the latest crops is taking place. When those seeds and plants were placed in the ground months ago and began to spring into life, did we miss that it was creation in action?

 

Did we miss it in the spring when the robin’s eggs cracked open with new life?

 

You may be thinking that nothing new has been created, but consider that each human being is a unique creation. Each litter of puppies or kittens is a collection of mixed new creatures. Identical twins are still unique even though sharing the same DNA.

 

Add to that the truth that when God works through any human He created and some new thing is discovered that He left for us to stumble upon, it’s an expansion of creation. His imagination is evident every time a new star is discovered, a new cure is developed, or a new musical composition is written.

 

He designed us to be creative because He made us in his own image and He is arguably the Creative Genius behind all of creation.

 

We do not speak worlds into existence, but every time we speak our words bring life or death.

 

What are we creating?

 

Imagine all that lies ahead until God’s final masterpiece:

 

¹⁷ “See, I will create
 new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
 nor will they come to mind.
¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever
 in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
 and its people a joy.
¹⁹ I will rejoice over Jerusalem
 and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
 will be heard in it no more.

²⁰ “Never again will there be in it
 an infant who lives but a few days,
 or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred
 will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach a hundred
 will be considered accursed.
²¹ They will build houses and dwell in them;
 they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²² No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
 or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
 so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
 the work of their hands.
²³ They will not labor in vain,
 nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,
 they and their descendants with them.
²⁴ Before they call I will answer;
 while they are still speaking I will hear.
²⁵ The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
 and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
 and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
 on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.

Isaiah 65:17-25 (NIV)