Creation

And God said,
"Let the waters under the sky
be gathered together into one place,
and let the dry land appear!"

And it was so
And God saw that it was good.

Then God said,
"Let the earth put forth vegetation:
plants yielding seed and fruit and trees of every kind on earth.

And it was do
God saw that it was good.

And there was evening
and there was morning,
the third day.

(NRSV)


Ours is the first generation to see pictures of the earth from space - and most of us would agree that is spectacularly beautiful. Many of the astronauts have found that view a profoundly spiritual experience. They see its beauty - but also sense the wonder that such a fragile thing can sustain the life that it does.

From space, we can see the boundaries between ocean and dry land. We see vast continents and tiny islands all surrounded by water. We become aware of the different colours - ice-white on the mountains and polar caps - lush green of the rain-forests - yellow and browns of desert expanses - and so on...

The writer of Genesis 1 could not have dreamt of such a view - and yet, in the Song of Creation, speaks of God setting the boundaries of the water and allowing dry land to appear. This is not barren wasteland - but land that is fruitful. It brings forth plants and trees all bearing seeds and fruit which will, in turn, produce future generations of plants and trees...life is not created to be static but to bear fruit into the future.

We have learnt that animal life on earth depends on plants - not only for food, but also to absorb carbon dioxide and to release oxygen into the atmosphere. We are beginning to see the delicate balances built into creation.

Drinking from the Wellspring

You may like to try to go to where land and sea meet
or, go into the countryside - and see the variety of plants.

Give thanks for the variety of habitats
and the abundance and diversity of vegetation on earth.

© 1998 Wellspring


Back | Next


[ Creation Home Page ] [ Wellsprings Home Page ]