Genesis - A New Beginning

In the creation myths found at the beginning of the book we call Genesis (the word "myth" is being used here as referencing "a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon"), the ancient storytellers tell a dramatic tale of the beginnings of all things, and the creativity that was the source of the creating.  These stories are wonderfully colorful, epic, poetic and multi-layered. 

The debates have lingered throughout the millennia about whether or not these stories should be taken literally or figuratively.  Those on each side of the debate are equally convinced that they are right.  There are interesting arguments from each camp.  However, within the debate, the beauty and rich poetry of the creation texts can be lost.   

In the first of these creation stories, creation comes about in an ordered fashion.  This story tells us something about nature, something about God, as well as something about the relationships involved in the process.  The divine creative narrative comes to a climax with the creation of humanity. We read, "Then God said, 'Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us so that they may take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and all the crawling things on earth.'
     God created humanity in God's own image,
          in the divine image God created them,
               male and female God created them.
God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good" (Genesis 1:26-27, 31, Common English Bible).

Allow the beauty of this brief passage to soak into your being.  Read the words again.  Seriously, take a second and reread the text above.  The words that follow this aren't going anywhere. 

So, what did you hear in the depths of you as you read and reread these words?

You and I, your friend and your foe, your allies and your enemies, those who are like minded and those who are completely divergent in their thinking, those who are exactly like you and those who couldn't be more different - we, one and all, are created in the "divine image."  Can you imagine that?  And what if we are most beautifully representative of that divine image in our corporate complexity as well as our precious individuality? 

Then..."God saw everything (God) had made: it was supremely good."

Allow yourself the opportunity to see the other as one who was not only created in the image of the divine, but also as one who is "supremely good."  Then, allow yourself the GRACE to see yourself as one who also is created in the image of the divine, and is "supremely good."

This beginning changes everything.  May your day be a day filled with the goodness of all that God has created.