In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.
Then God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water.” So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so. God called the expanse “sky.” Evening came and then morning: the second day.
Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of the water he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.” And it was so. The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Evening came and then morning: the third day.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night—as well as the stars. God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. Evening came and then morning: the fourth day.
Then God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the large sea-creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them: “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” Evening came and then morning: the fifth day.
Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
So God created man
in his own image;
he created him in the image of God;
he created them male and female.
God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.
So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation.
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View this work of art titled Creation by Donald Jackson with contribution by Chris Tomlin,* connected to Sunday’s sermon passage.
Visio Divina, or ‘divine seeing,’ is a way of praying and reflecting through art. As you look at this week’s piece, take a few quiet moments to notice details, colors, or emotions that stand out to you. Ask God what he might be saying through the image, and listen for his insight in your thoughts, feelings, or prayers.
Commentary:
There is much detail and beauty to contemplate in this opening illumination from The Saint John’s Bible, which lays out the perfectly ordered creation of God’s vast, cosmic temple. It begins with symbolic fractals which imply that even chaotic brush marks and the exploding telescopic views of the cosmos have within them a structure of God’s making. The Hebrew in the bottom left reads tohu va-vohu or "formless and void.”
Artist Donald Jackson draws on imagery from cave paintings in Nigeria for day six, set against a background of a volcanic eruption which emphasizes the dangerous and volatile nature of our earthly existence. At the bottom of the panel, Genesis 3 is foreshadowed by the subtle presence of a snake.
Gold is used throughout to symbolize God’s intervention in the chaos and his ordering of the universe and its elements; hence the gold squares are applied geometrically, starting with day one and expanding progressively outward and upward in influence until reaching the serenity and simplicity of the Sabbath.
If you want to see a copy of this illumination in person, please visit the Downtown Campus, where this work is part of our permanent collection.
*Art Source: Creation, Donald Jackson with contribution by Chris Tomlin,© 2003 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA. Used with Permission. All rights reserved. https://saintjohnsbible.org/
Lord Jesus,
Today is your day—the gift of rest, the open door to worship, the living reminder of your resurrection, and a glimpse of the eternal Sabbath to come. On this day, may all your people—struggling and triumphant—join in endless praise.
Fill my mind with peace that surpasses understanding. Let my thoughts be sweet, my worship alive, my heart free and joyful. May I drink deeply from the streams that flow from your throne, feed on your precious Word, and stand strong behind the shield of faith. Draw my heart ever closer to you, Jesus, today and always.
— Adapted from The Valley of Vision, edited by Arthur Bennett
Throughout this year-long series in theFormed.life, the daily Scripture reading will take you through the whole story of Scripture in manageable chunks, allowing time for other study, reflection, and prayer, rather than including every verse and chapter in the Bible. If you would like to go deeper and read through the entire Bible, use this whole Bible reading plan from the BibleProject. Print it off and use it as a checklist to track your progress!
The Bible is best studied with others. Talk about today’s sermon with someone else (friends, family, neighbors, at lunch, or in your community group). Use the questions below to get you started!
What stands out to you about the idea that the world was created for us to be with God? How does that shape how you see your place in the world?
Genesis presents a world that is formed, filled, and celebrated. Where do you see that kind of order or beauty in your own life—or where do you long for more of it?
God created work and rest as part of life with him. Which of those do you find easier to embrace and why?