Creation Day 6 - Part 4!

I certainly seem to spending a lot of time on this particular day of creation!  Today I want to go back to the verse I was looking at yesterday because there are more things I want to think about:

"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Genesis 1:26 NKJV

A couple of more questions come to mind:

1. We are to have dominion over the "fish of the sea", the "birds of the air", the "cattle", the "earth", and "everything creeping thing".  What does this mean for me today?
2. How does this relate to my learning about the creative process?

To answer the first question, I go back to Strong's concordance and find the following:

• Dominion - literally means "to tread down" or "to subjugate"
• Fish - comes from words meaning "prolific", "timid", and "squirming"
• Sea - once again coming from that root that means "to roar" (see discussion re. day 3)
• Birds - comes from a root meaning to cover (with wings OR obscurity), to fly, or to faint
• Air - means to be lofty and refers to the canopy of the sky, or to what is above it (see discussion re. day 2)
• Cattle - the word comes from a word meaning to be "mute", and means a "dumb beast"- particularly a "large quadruped or animal (often collective)".  (See first discussion about Day 6)
• Earth - from a root meaning to "be firm" - can also mean "soil".  As I think about soil, I think about Jesus parable of the sower and the different types of ground (Matthew 13:3-23). 
• Creeping - The word itself means a reptile or any rapidly moving animal, and comes from a word that means to glide swiftly, to crawl with short steps, or figuratively to swarm.  (See first discussion about Day 6)

The first thing that strikes me as I read this is that as we look at environmental issues, we see we have indeed "treaded down" the natural world around us - to the point of putting several species into extinction. I'm not sure that this is very good stewardship of our authority over these things!  As I think about this, I realize something else.  One category is missing!  We were not given dominion over the WILD animals (See first discussion about Day 6).  And yet, these are many of the ones we've caused to go extinct!

Thinking back to my earlier discussion of the various animals, I think more about the fact that this verse specifically leaves out the wild animals in it's list of what man was to have dominion over.  Those new and exciting things aren't in this list - just the more mundane ones.  As I consider this, I think about the way things are unfolding for me in this new project I'm undertaking.  And I realize that indeed, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it" (Ps 127:1)

I think of someone my husband works with.  This person is very good at maintaining things.  Give him a set of instructions for a repeating task, and he does great!  When it comes to something new, though, he struggles to know how to apply what he knows to the new situation.  Am I something like that?  I certainly don't like to think so, but I realize that with the new that is coming into my life, I would have quit long before I had a chance to get started, if it weren't for God's guidance and leadership in my life.  I'd have been too afraid to move forward - been too timid.  

My mind flashes back to one of the things we ARE specifically said to have dominion over - the fish - and there's that word "timid".  What I start to see is that I am MEANT to rule over my thoughts (birds of the air), my feelings (fish of the sea), my acceptance of God's direction in my life (earth or "soil"), and over domestic matters in general (cattle & creeping things).  I've been given that authority, and I need to use it wisely.  How am I doing with it?

When it comes to bringing in the new, the "wild" animals, I have not been given dominion over these - these are God's responsibility*.  Now, my experience and other things I've read in the Bible remind me that God is in charge of ALL of it, but this passage suggests to me that there is some sort of extra dominion that God expects to hold over the "new" in my life. As I think about the new that is being brought into my life right now, all I can say is that I am glad I've been seeking His will in these matters!  He works things out far better than I possibly could on my own.  In fact, I'd have given up a long time ago if it weren't for Him, and I'd have missed out on many fun experiences.  Again I am reminded to stop and shout praises for the way God keeps everything running right.  Thank you, Father!

It seems to me that with regard to the creative process - bringing in something new - I need to be even more diligent about seeking God's will. When dealing with something I've never experienced before, I have little way of knowing how things will turn out and what is really needed. Only someone who can see the end from the beginning can know what is best!  Only He knows the outcomes and can direct my feet on the right path.  Thank you, Father, for your willingness - even eagerness - to do so!  You are an amazing God!

Father, I am so grateful for the way you keep everything running right!  You keep showing me time and time again that you are in charge of this new project and have everything under control - even though I start to worry about it at times.  Please keep my mind focused on You, where it belongs, so that I continue to experience that perfect peace you have promised (Is 26:3)  I am SO grateful for your guidance and power in my life!  I look to you for guidance both for the new that is coming into my life, and for how best to work within your will as I seek to better exercise the dominion you've given me.  Thank you, Father!

*Note that while verse 28 in KJV says we were given dominion over everything that moves, the word translated "moves" is the same one that is translated "creepeth" earlier.  In other words, it appears to relate specifically to the "creeping things".