Creation Day 3

I am finding this look at creation to be so helpful in my daily life!  Understanding the creation process in this way really helps me begin to relax into the new things God is creating in my life. 

Day 1 - that "lightbulb moment" that in reality often is the culmination of a much longer period of "brooding".  There's not a lot to be seen in that brooding or thinking stage, but it is so important to pave the way for later accomplishments.  It really helps me accept those times where I'm in the idea stage and don't have much to show for it.  I needed to relax and trust things will happen as God sees the time is right.

Day 2 - separating lower emotions from higher ones and putting a barrier between them.  Wow, is this ever important for me as I work to create something!  I have to "put a lid" on those feelings of inadequacy and fear and focus instead on God's power and direction, allowing myself to feel the joy and peace that are also there but had been hidden by those "lower" feelings!

That brings us to today's topic - Day 3:

"Then God said, “Let the water beneath the sky come together into one area, and let dry ground appear!” And that is what happened: God called the dry ground “land,” and he called the water that had come together “oceans.” And God saw how good it was. Then God said, “Let vegetation sprout all over the earth, including seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each kind containing its own seed!” And that is what happened:  Vegetation sprouted all over the earth, including seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each kind containing its own seed. And God saw that it was good. The twilight and the dawn were the third day." Genesis 1:9-13 ISV

The first thing that strikes me is that God doesn't wait until the end of the day to evaluate His work this time.  His work is in two major parts, and He stops to appreciate the results of each when it is finished.  This is something I still don't always do in my life.  It is so easy for me to get caught up in everything I have to do that I'm always looking to the next thing that needs to be done rather than taking the time to pause and appreciate what God in me has already accomplished. I guess this is part of why I was given that text about stopping and shouting praises 7 times a day! (Ps 119:164)  Hopefully as I continue to focus on that, I will become more adept at acknowledging accomplishments.

Looking at the first part of day 3, I start to wonder what the gathering together of water beneath the sky, and land appearing might symbolize.  I note that this specifically refers to that water that has been "depressed", and it is the gathering together of THIS water that allows the dry land to appear.  I then look at the meanings of a couple of the words in Strong's concordance.

• The water was to "come together".  This word literally means to bind together.
• The water was to be gathered into one "area".  The word translated "area" literally means "a standing" and comes from a root word that means "to rise".
• The word translated "dry ground" comes from a root word meaning "to be ashamed, confused, or disappointed"!
• God called the dry ground "land".  That word that was translated "land" here, comes from a root word that means "to be firm".
• The water that had come together was called "ocean".  That word translated "ocean" comes from a root word that means "to roar". 

I feel like I'm beginning to get a better picture of how to deal with challenging emotions.  Part of the problem we often experience with them is that we let them take over everything.  If we are feeling bad about something, let's say it's a mistake that we've made, we often tend to dwell on it until it becomes a huge thing in our minds.  We begin to feel not simply that we made a mistake, but that it's something we "ALWAYS" do, and sometimes even begin to think that we ARE a mistake.  This is part of why we need that barrier discussed in creation day 2 to contain those negative emotions and separate them from the positive ones so we can clearly see that they are not ALL there is!  But there is more to the story than that!

The negative emotions are not even allowed to just sit there below the barrier, but are to be gathered together into one place.  This is what allows for the dry land to appear; and that dry land is what allows for the firm foundation for what is being created.  Yes, as those painful emotions are gathered together in one place, they can do some "roaring"; and when the dry land appears, we may recognize previous feelings of shame, disappointment or confusion.  But as we continue to prayerfully bind them together, trusting God and using His "bands of love" (Hosea 11:4 KJV) to tie them together, we find ourselves begin to rise - to be able to stand tall, knowing that He will be refashioning this very shame, disappointment, and confusion, into a firm foundation for what He is building in our lives!  What a picture! Thank you, Father!

This third day of creation was indeed was a very full day.  Just the gathering of the waters and having the dry land appear is amazing enough.  No wonder God paused and recognized how good it was!  I'm going to follow His example and pause here, contemplating God's goodness.  It's enough for me to take in for one day.  I'll look at the rest tomorrow (unless re-directed, of course!).

Father, thank you so much for your amazing ability to bring triumph out of tragedy, and victory out of victimization!  This morning I again pause to shout praises for the way you "keep everything running right"!  You are so amazing.  That you would take the time to work so individually with us to take our own private shame, confusion and disappointment and use it to build something wonderful is almost beyond my ability to comprehend, but I am SO grateful!  Thank you for all that you do and are doing in my life this day.  May my will be totally turned over to you so that it is in full alignment with yours, I pray.  May your will indeed be done on earth, including my little part of it, as it is in heaven.  Thank you, Father!