Land and Seas

Land and Seas

Devotional Reading: Genesis 1

Photo Credit: Nocturnal Flame Designs

On the third day, God called the seas together and spoke the land into existence with His voice. He spoke, and it happened. It’s really that simple. How do we believe this is possible? He is the Creator, and He is above it all. He is more than able to do anything, including speaking land into existence. He already spoke for the light to be there, by simply saying “‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”(Genesis 1:3).

We often question the voice of God, and wonder, how could things in the world be as they are if God is the ultimate power of authority over it all? We ask why is He not speaking over the evil things and commanding things into position as He did in the beginning if He is truly omniscient? When we look again at the beginning, as He was creating and speaking things into place, “God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:10) In the beginning it was good, and when He was speaking these things to happen, there was no evil, there was only good. As we dig more into what is taking place, we see that God is creating beauty and comfort, light and air, earth and sea, without anything to disrupt this atmosphere of peace and tranquility. There was no chaos, no disruption of things out of order, and God was pleased with His handiwork.

Many of us find a sense of peace and calm in the natural world, such as the seaside and open waters, up on a mountaintop, deep in the trees, or out in the fields. Maybe this is because that was the whole point from the beginning. These things started as beautiful, peaceful, comforting and absolutely stunning things. They were good. God created them, and saw that they were good. When we breathe in the fresh air of the pure, natural outdoors in its full and raw state it is good. Our bodies are healthier, our minds are clearer, our hearts are happier, and we feel free. This is not how the world is now, as it is not in its full and raw state of what it was at the beginning of creation. It has changed, and the air is not as clean. The view is not as breathtaking. We feel trapped at times, overwhelmed by the “stuff” around us- the stuff that God never put there. Have you ever felt the need to get some fresh air, or to just step outside? When you have stepped out for the air, do you find yourself feeling different? A daily dose of fresh air does wonders for the human body, and people talk about this worldwide. That is because we were meant to breathe in the air as God created it- the natural, fresh, open air. Many will tell you that a trip to the seaside or a hike in the mountains, camping in the woods or picnicking on the open prairie refreshes their body and speaks to their soul in a way nothing else can. For those who are not outdoorsy people, many will still experience this same effect in a different way, such as lounging in a chair on the porch, or looking out a window at the trees, watching the sun rise or set, and listening to the rain as it falls. There is something naturally calming in the sounds and the feel of nature, however you experience it.

We look again at Genesis and see that as God was working, the seas were gathered into one place, and the dry land appeared, as He spoke them into place. “Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear’; and it was so.” (Genesis 1:9) If we could have watched this beauty unfold, it had to be such a powerful thing. Water is heavy, and the force of God’s power gathering the water together brings to mind a massive tidal wave of motion as a hurricane or cyclone of waters comes together to form the seas, shaping the depths of the waters. Dry land appeared, giving a separation of the land and the sea, and likely showing off the most stunning beaches and seaside views in history as they were pure, clean, and good. What a sight that had to be! Again, this shows how powerful God is to have put these things into place with such force while at the same time establishing a sense of calm and tranquility. Before any of us were ever born, He created a way for us to experience peace and light, and to see the beautiful work of His hands. Take a minute today to breathe and picture this beauty as He intended it to be. Are you taking in the fresh air around you, and are you breathing the air of life with the Creator?

–Adrianne Michele, Author
Nocturnal Flame Ministries