Day One

As I finish Genesis chapter 2, I glance at my Bible reading schedule. I’m supposed to move on. I need to read chapter 3 before I can mark “Bible Reading” off my list of things to do. I can’t get behind already. It’s only day one.

Despite the pressure to move on, I find myself wanting to linger. A lot has just happened in the last 10 minutes. Light appeared out of nowhere. The heavens parted. Dry land appeared. God hung the stars and called them by name. Sea monsters enjoyed their first plunge. Creatures of all shapes and sizes tried out their new legs.

God exhaled. Adam inhaled. A soul was created.

There was a parade. The hippopotamus got his name. Adam took a nap but woke up in time for the wedding. God complimented Himself on a job well done. Then, He called for a holiday.

As I pause after chapter 2, I begin to understand God’s desire for the first Sabbath. If I’d been in the garden that day I would have wanted to stop and take it all in . . . the sights . . . the sounds . . . the beauty. With all the commotion of creation, rest would have been a welcomed respite.

Although the Bible doesn’t elaborate on what happened on Day Seven, we do know that God issued a blessing. He proclaimed the day holy and then He rested. When the Bible is light on details, I immediately begin to ask questions. Questions like:

What does God do when He rests?

(I’m pretty sure He doesn’t nap, so what does God do when He takes a break?)

Where did Adam and Eve go on their honeymoon?

How much time passed between Genesis Chapter 2 and the events recorded in Chapter 3?

Why are some animals so ugly?

Apparently answers to questions such as these aren’t necessary or God would have filled in the blanks. I guess I’m just going to have to rest in the fact that God rested. He stopped. He took a breath. He brought the beginning of creation to an end.

But as we’ll learn in Genesis Chapter 3, just as the story of creation ended, the story of redemption began. In fact, they’re practically seamless.

The gospel message doesn’t start in the New Testament. It started in Genesis with the words: In the beginning God.

I guess I should move on and read Chapter 3. But, since I know what happens next, I think I’ll just rest here for a minute and take it all in. I have a feeling I’m going to appreciate a few minutes of Sabbath rest before I turn the page.

 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.

By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done,

and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it,

because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

Genesis 2:1-3