Doggie-paddling through Genesis

I have begun my daily bible readings and am doggie-paddling through the book of Genesis. Trying to pluck the goods from the begets and begats, I have been awed by a few passages that have really resonated with me. The first passage is that of Genesis 1:26 "Let us make man in our image after our likeness". OUR? I had always thought God was alone at the moment man was created and never imagined that it could have been a communal offering (of sorts). The US and OUR I have discovered refers to other heavenly beings and that God perhaps included the efforts and opinions of angels and the like to create earthlings as we are.

Genesis 2:19 talks about God bringing all of the creations of the earth to Adam "to see what he would call them". The loving and tender nature of the father in this passage amazed me. Much like a human parent would bring something lovely, intriguing or fun to their child to teach them and bring them joy, God brought Adam all of the creatures of the earth and they named them what Adam thought they should be called. Once they were named they moved on to the next. It sounds like so much fun! It dawned on me that God works in my life much the same way. Situations are brought about to gently (and sometimes not so gently depending on how long it has taken me to learn) show me what life is about or how the world works or who I am. God shows me the lessons I am to learn by bringing them to me, but it is up to me to see them and name them and work to move into the next with grace, humour and wonder.

This love and faithfulness of God to his children was again hit home for me in the story of Noah and the rainbow. I have often wondered throughout my life why God hasn't just picked up the Etch-a-Sketch world and shaken it clean to start anew; IT'S BECAUSE HE PROMISED! He did that once, he wiped the slate clean with a flood and then promised to never do it again; promised to protect us and allow us to flourish however falteringly on the earth. I am here not only because God created me, but also because he promised with a rainbow (very fitting) to let me live regardless of how I live. I may falter but his love and faithfulness for me does not. This made me think about the value of a promise in my own life. How often do I break promises? Back out of loosely-made agreements? What does this mean for the Salt and Light that I am in the world?

Lastly, I just can't believe that Esau gave away his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew instead of just pulling rank as the older brother and taking it the way my own sister would have done. Tisk tisk.

May the tenderness of the Lord lift us, His faithfulness sustain us and may our ordinary and holy pilgrimage be taken with the spirit of rejoicing. Amen.