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Creation – Gen. 1:1 & 28 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...God saw all that he made, and it was very good.” 

The opening chapters of the Bible make big claims. They declare that God brought the entire universe into being by the sheer power of his word. They also say that God was extremely pleased with what he made, infusing beauty and purpose into creation and then standing back to enjoy it.                             

I remember one sunny morning when I was travellingalong a beautiful route that wound its way between the rocky coastline and a towering mountain range. Traffic came to a complete stop along a bend and people stood outside their cars peering over the cliffs. My immediate thought was a terrible accident had just occurred. I, too, got out to look, but there was no accident. The morning rush hour was brought to a standstill by a large pod of dolphins diving in and out of the water and skipping along the surface. No one said a word, nor did getting to work on time seem to matter either. Everyone just stood there taking in this breathtaking sight. It was a special moment of strangers standing back to delight in beauty and respond to something greater than themselves. 

Whether we acknowledge God’s hand in creation or not, we are all awestruck by the beauty of the world around us. Splendor tells us something about the heart of the Creator of beautiful things. Being awestruck suggests that wonder is a response of worship as we ponder the glory of our good world. Genesis points to the source. 

When was the last time you were awestruck by beauty?

 

*stay tuned for tomorrow's advent reflection*

This series has been prepared by a variety of writers from Peace Church.