Creation Day 6 Continued

Here, again, is the Bible story about day six - this time from the New King James Version:

"Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

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." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.  Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.  Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day."(Genesis 1:24-31 NKJV)

As I started looking at this passage again this morning, I started once again to look up meanings of words, but found myself looking at some words I THOUGHT I fully understood - the ones translated "and God saw that it was good".  I first looked up the word translated "saw" and discovered it meant "to see" in MANY applications, "direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative".  That word "causative" jumped out at me.  Then I looked up the word "that" and saw something similar: "indicating causal relations of all kinds". The word "good" comes from a root word meaning "to be do or make good" (emphasis mine).  This simple statement, "God saw that it was good", implies causation!  This strikes me two ways:

1. The way God looks at things CAUSES them to be good!  In other words, He approaches His observations from a positive standpoint, looking for the good in them.  How often do I do the opposite?  How often when I look at something I've created, do my eyes focus on the flaws?  It's easy to make excuses, telling myself that God's creation was perfect so of course He couldn't focus on the flaws.  But He knew what was coming!  He knew what was going to happen to His beautiful creation and the downward spiral things would take.  That IS NOT what He focused on.  Am I willing to make a similar choice and focus on the good?
2. God wasn't just looking at creation and saying it was good.  It appears He was also telling Himself, "I did a good job" - appreciating not only what had been created, but that He had been the one to create it!  I've often thought that to appreciate that I had a hand in creating something beautiful was to become prideful and was bad, but here I see God doing it. Obviously there must be a difference between appreciating something one has done well and becoming prideful.  As I think about this, I realize that as I've observed life, I've seen that often those who seek the attention of others to compliment their work - those who seem prideful - are in fact often the opposite.  They don't have faith in their own abilities, so seek praise from others.  Perhaps as I acknowledge the things I do well, knowing God has given me the abilities that I have, I can simply be grateful and not seek the approval of others.  It also reminds me that I can appreciate and acknowledge those things that I see are "good" that others have done and express my appreciation for that, too.

I haven't gotten nearly as far as I expected in looking at day six, but I feel I have my food for thought for this day.  It's time, and past time, for me to look at what I've created thus far and recognize that it is good.  There are aspects that have been discouraging.  Things haven't always gone as easily as I had hoped or come together the way I expected.  But I know that "all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28) and I can look for that good!  I can appreciate what's been accomplished - what I've accomplished.

Thank you, Father.  I know that "every good and perfect gift" comes from you (James 1:17), and that includes any abilities I am discovering that I have.  You created me and I am dissing YOUR work when I denigrate myself!  Forgive me!  Since I KNOW all things work together for good, I can also KNOW that there is a reason for the challenges I've faced and the seemingly blocked roads and wasted effort. I can KNOW that what you are creating in me is VERY GOOD, because that is the kind of creator you are!  I can even see some hints about what the reasons might be for some of these things, but I know your plans are far beyond anything I can imagine.  And I know your plans for me are for my good (Jeremiah 29:11), and that you give good gifts to your children (Matt 7:11).  Thank you that you are my Father! I am so grateful to have your guidance! I once again ask that your will be done in my life, and I thank you, Father!  Please work in me as I move forward in this day, that all may be according to YOUR plan, for then I know indeed it will be VERY GOOD!