When I was in college, I studied classic English literature: Milton, Shakespeare and Donne. Their writings were beautiful and referred to the Bible without apology. In fact, their works often made the Bible teachings richer and more meaningful. I have not been in the mainstream of education for decades, so I am not sure if they study the same classic works. I am sure students today would not have the same understanding of those great works unless they have a working knowledge of the Bible. They would not understand the symbolism or the profound meaning hidden in the poetry and references. I wonder how many would even understand the Bible if they read it today.
On the surface, Biblical stories are so simple and straightforward; it is easy to walk away and say, “That was a nice didactic story,” but there is a haunting feeling that there should be more. After all, this is God’s book; it should be richer somehow. There is more, so much more. The deeper you read, the more you understand. As you pray and start to ask questions like, “How does this apply to me and what am I supposed to learn from this story?” principles start to leap out, and you realize these stories not only apply to life but are patterns in your very existence.
In the Creation story, we find principles that apply to our lives. There is a pattern of order that comes clear as we read beyond the surface. God created the Earth in six days. First, He solved the problem of darkness. Then He divided the water in the air from the water on the land. Next, He divided that water and the dry land. After that, He put seeds in the ground and made them grow. He then put animals on the Earth. Finally, He made man and woman and gave them dominion over the whole Earth. In other words, He said, “You are in charge; take care of this wonderful place and these creatures I have given you.”
We learn that God is generous and loving and wants His children to be happy. Look at the marvelousness and variety of His creations. He didn’t just throw the world together and say, “That is good enough for those who will dwell here.” No, He looked and "saw that it was good." Probably the word good in the Bible is the most magnificent understatement of all time. There is not a word to describe how wonderful His work is. He gave His very best to the last detail and was satisfied with His labors.
God started with a master plan, and He worked His plan to the last atom of the last cell. He is a God of order, not of chaos. The big bang theory falls apart under the lenses of the Bible story. Order is the overriding theme of the Creation. Big bangs tend to shatter things, not bring them together in magnificent order and supreme precision. The workings of the world, as God created them, are still patterns of order. Babies still go through the same growing process. Animals are never born fully grown. Seeds still produce the intended outcome. Seasons still follow the same patterns. Chaos has never produced patterns of repeating order.
As we look deeper, there is another principle we can learn from the Creation story: Creative labor brings satisfaction. Human beings, like God, find satisfaction in creating something of value, and the effort they exert in the creative process makes all the difference. Creativity begins with formulating a plan. What will we need? What will be the first step, the second step? What will the final product look like? Will it work as planned? Creativity, in effect, is bringing things together that exist in chaos and putting them in meaningful order to make something useful or beautiful, and the creation is most effective when it makes a difference to someone else.
Artists know the feeling of creative satisfaction when they mix colors and spread them over a canvas to send a message in visual form. They are thrilled when their work communicates their message. Farmers know the satisfaction of clearing a piece of land and planting seeds in a certain order. As they watch it grow and produce, it gives a feeling of satisfaction as they share their harvest. Writers start with a blank piece of paper or computer screen and fill it with words that take on meaning and emotion. Satisfaction comes when writers reread the words and feel the emotion they have created. It is twice nice when someone else is blessed by the words they have written and get the message by feeling the same emotions. Every advertisement, road sign, highway, building and invention begins with a human’s creative plan that is carried out from the planning stage to the final product.
There is connection between creating and sharing. God took satisfaction in His work, and He enjoys it again when we appreciate what He has done. Gratitude plays a tremendous part in satisfaction. All humans need to have someone be appreciative of their creative works. Perhaps much of the dissatisfaction and social illness in our society comes from a lack of creativity and the lack of using inbred creative abilities. The more we are consumers instead of creators, the more frustrated we become. We are born with an innate need to express ourselves creatively. It is easier to sit in front of the television or flip through our mobile device and enjoy what someone else has done rather than to use energy to create something of our own, but we do it to our own destruction.
The Creation story has other principles that apply to our lives. God’s crowning glory was the creation of Adam and Eve. God created them after His image. If humans are created in the image of God, they are like Him. We have His attributes and divine potential. That means we have limitless possibilities. Of course, we are mortal and subject to the frailties of the flesh, but if we are in the image of God, we can accomplish much more than we allow ourselves to imagine. We must tap into our God-given powers of creation. We must allow ourselves to think bigger and use our creativity to become all that we were intended to be.
God gave Adam and Eve dominion over all His creations. Dominion means to govern and to have authority over something. Governing and caring for the Earth is a never-ending task. He expected Adam and Eve to grow in capacity and power by being creative. Even today, He expects great things from His children. He expects us to be producers, caretakers and creators. Each one of us has talents and God-given abilities that we can use to bless the lives of others. We have a divine mission to perform. How do we know what that mission is?
We can live day to day wondering and trying different avenues. Trial and error are effective, but that takes forever. There is a better way. Reading the scriptures and praying are much more effective methods in discovering our divine potential and our mission in life. God knows us. He answers prayers. He has promised that if we ask, we shall receive. It isn’t enough to just read the scriptures. Deeper meanings only come with deeper reading and pondering. We must ask questions and be willing to listen for the answers. Prayer is a two-way communication process. It isn’t a shopping list to a divine genie: Give me this and give me that. It is a father to son/daughter conversation. Ask questions like: What are my talents? How can I use them to create something of value that will bless others? Where do You want me to serve today? What does this scripture mean? How does it apply to me? These questions are effective, but it isn't good enough just to ask. Listen to the answers. Inspiration will come into your mind, and if you act on that inspiration, God will lead you gradually and steadily to your potential. Just be ready to give up a few things of the world and to do more than you ever thought you could. God will be your teacher, and the scriptures will become a “lamp unto [your] feet.” (Psalms 119:105 KJV).
