Memories of Africa

Almost a year ago, Rayna and I returned from Africa having spent 4 days in the ghettos of Lusaka, Zambia, 5 days visiting World Vision projects in Mbala and Sinazongwe, Zambia, and 4 days on touring and safari mostly near Kasane, Botswana. An amazing experience!

Last Sunday, the team from Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church that we went with a year ago left for another mission trip to Zambia. My heart longs to be there with them, so my prayers have been repeatedly directed towards the relationships, first, and work, secondarily, ahead of them. My thoughts, too, are frequented by my own memories of the experience.

Our first morning in Mbala with the World Vision project staff began with their customary morning devotions. Somehow someone thought it would be a good idea if one person from the staff and one of the visitors each led part of the devotion. I'll give you one guess who ended up as the representative from our team. You got it: yours truly!

So I followed one of their senior staffers and his well-planned meditation from Isaiah with my own more impromptu thoughts from Genesis 1. I thought it'd be good for me to reflect on the passage again.

In the beginning, God... Genesis 1:1

Too often I approach scripture as a Magic Eight Ball--a toy to shake around, turn over, and find the answers to my problems. Yet this book starts with God. This is His story first and foremost, not mine. The Bible holds many applications for life and living, but they are nested in the larger context of God creating, loving, judging, redeeming, and restoring. God is the main character, the hero in scripture, not me.

In the beginning, God CREATED... Genesis 1:1, emphasis added

I love that creation was intentional. God didn't accidentally let it happen. He didn't passively just allow it to come into existence. No, He initiated. He purposed. He set into motion. Knowing that gives value to what I see and meaning to what happens around me.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

The night sky in Mbala was jaw-dropping. I had to adjust my bearing for the rearranged constellations, but the stars seemed to turn on their high beams. The ambient light from the town proved little competition. I remember standing there locked in wonder and amazement at God's craftsmanship.

The timeline given in Genesis 1 gives evangelicals fits. Was the earth actually created in seven days as we measure time, or is there some other explanation? I believe that's the wrong question. to ask of this text. Genesis 1 is the world's introduction to monotheism, not God's instruction manual for how to make a universe. If it were the assembly instructions, it's clarity and detail would rank up there with the guides that accompany children's toys labeled "some assembly required"--completely useless.

No, Genesis 1 sets the stage for God's supremacy over all creation and, more importantly, over all the perceived deities of the day. The sun and moon, the oceans, and all sorts of animals were thought to represent gods or be gods themselves. Genesis say no. God existed before them. He created them. In fact, by saying that light and dark existed before the sun and moon seems like ancient deity trash talk, implying that the sun and moon (and the gods they symbolized) were impotent and had no power at all.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26

The imago Dei - the image of God. You and I, we were created as image bearers for the King. While that image may be tarnished by sin, we have dignity because of all creation, we are the only ones crafted in His image.

In addition, when someone carrying the image of a king went somewhere or said something or had something happen to them, it was as if the king went, spoke, or was acted upon. So we too bear the responsibility of going where He would, speaking His word, and treating one another with the humility and reverence due the King. To do otherwise is an act of treason, which would in part justify the death penalty warranted by sin.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

Day one through five: good days. Day six with the creation of man: very good. How awesome is it that the value we add to creation steps it up a notch? That's what God thinks of us.

What an incredible Creator and a fascinating introduction to God's story!