Genesis 1:14-19: a reflection

14God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs to mark seasons, days, and years; 15and let them be for lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth;” and it was so. 16God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. 19There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

On the fourth day of creation, God makes the lights in the sky, the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night, and the stars. And he gives them a purpose: to give light, to separate day from night, and to serve as signs to mark the seasons, the days, and the years. The rhythms of time that order our lives, day and night, the turning seasons, the passing years, are God's design, set in place by him, and pronounced good.

Notice that God ordered time itself. The regular rhythms we live by, the alternation of day and night, the cycle of the seasons, the marking of days and years, are not accidents, but God's deliberate ordering, set in the heavens by him and called good. He gave the lights to govern these rhythms, so that time would have order and measure. The very framework of time within which we live is God's good gift and design.

That is worth pausing over, for we live within these God-given rhythms of time every day, often without thought. The turning of day into night, the passing of the seasons, the measure of the years, all are part of God's good ordering of creation, given for our life and good. Rather than taking the rhythms of time for granted, or merely feeling hurried by them, receive them as God's gift and design. Let the faithful return of day after night remind you of God's faithful ordering; let the turning seasons and passing years be received as part of the good framework God has given for your life. The God who set the sun and moon to mark your days orders your time; live within his good ordering of it with gratitude, trusting the One who made the lights to govern day and night.

Lord, on the fourth day you made the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night, and set them as signs to mark the seasons, the days, and the years, and you called it good. Help me pause over the truth that you ordered time itself. The regular rhythms I live by, the alternation of day and night, the cycle of the seasons, the marking of days and years, are not accidents, but your deliberate ordering, set in the heavens by you and called good. The very framework of time within which I live is your good gift and design. I live within these God-given rhythms every day, often without thought. Rather than taking the rhythms of time for granted, or merely feeling hurried by them, help me receive them as your gift and design. Let the faithful return of day after night remind me of your faithful ordering; let the turning seasons and passing years be received as part of the good framework you have given for my life. You, who set the sun and moon to mark my days, order my time; help me live within your good ordering of it with gratitude, trusting you who made the lights to govern day and night. Thank you for the good order of time, Lord.