Jesus’ Spirit as Creator did not create only in a distant past series
of events. Indeed, moment by moment Jesus’ Spirit is animating and
causing energy to flow in creation so that the sun shines, plants grow
and, as Genesis tells us, even “all kinds of creeping things” can make
us aware of God’s nearness and the truth that God sees all these as “good.”
Remember how as children we could be captivated in wonder, watching
all of the activity taking place in an anthill? Remember, too, how
we would try to catch fireflies during late summer evenings? Really,
we were the ones being caught, being momentarily captured by the goodness
of God’s active presence in creation.
Rereading the creation story in Genesis 1:20-2:4 reminds me of watching anthills and catching fireflies. Today this story invites us into childlike wonder as we look around the office and recall who was animating the tree that has become my desk and who is actively present behind and in the living principles of chemistry and physics at work in my microwave. My coffee cup seems like a solid mass, but in its shape are moving atoms held together by Jesus as Creator of nature’s laws, loving us in and through them.
When we enter into childlike wonder we are able to notice Jesus’ Spirit, his active love, recreating moment by moment. In such wonder we may dare to taste and see the astounding truth that we ourselves are being held as God’s own image.
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