Scripture: And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
Genesis 1:9-13 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, God commands the surface waters to recede to expose dry land and atmospheric moisture to remain in its expanse (which he names “Heaven”). And Moses again notates the solar rhythm of God’s workday.
Today’s reading delves into the third day of Creation. Moses meticulously records how God, acting on his divine authority, names the surface waters “Sea” and the dry land “Earth,” affirming their existence and goodness. Following this, God commands the Earth to bring forth vegetation, each according to its kind, bearing seeds and berries for consumption. Lastly, God declares his work good, and Moses again concludes with a symbolic reminder of a divine day of work.
Takeaway: On Day 3, God’s creative acts unfold in a deliberate sequence. He first prepares the land and waters to receive their respective life forms, as indicated by naming them Earth and Sea. However, only the land will be blessed with terrestrial life on this day. The waters will patiently await their marine life for Day 5. Despite this, God declares both these acts as good, marking the first instance of his divine approval. But why now and not sooner? Because God is meticulously preparing the planet to benefit humankind. How so? Whether the receding flood waters (Genesis 8) or the divided Red Sea (Exodus 14), God retracts the waters to lead his people to dry, hospitable land. And while the waters can signify judgment, here, they symbolize blessings (see yesterday’s Daily Focus). Indeed, fertile soil that produces seeding plants and fruit-bearing trees suitable for consumption is good in the Lord’s sight.
Our takeaway? First, we must explore what it means to be good in the Lord’s sight. The Hebrew word for “good” (ṭob) carries a wide semantic range from the moral and ethical realm to the quality of workmanship. Our passage, we might say, entails both. As theologian John Walton contends, “In Genesis 1 the meaning of ‘good’ can be judged by asking what ‘not good’ implies. The biblical text knows of one thing that is not good: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’ (2:18). If this contrast points us in the right direction, as I believe it does, ‘good’ suggests that a thing operates according to purpose (NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, p.115). Similarly, author and pastor Tim Keller once said in a podcast that oysters glorify God more than we humans because they act like oysters.
Our part? God calls us to glorify him by walking out our faith according to our created purpose as humans made in his image. What does this look like? We live not in the pretense of being “good enough” by our efforts but authentically as sinners, confident that Christ who is in us is “good enough.” When we do, in the words of Paul, our lives reveal God’s handiwork, regenerated in Christ Jesus to do the good work that God has prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10).
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, with whom you were well pleased because he lived an authentic life as your Son and our Brother, reflected by always doing your good works per his mission as your Suffering Servant. Indeed, through his life, death, and resurrection, your Son set us free from the penalty of sin so that we can enjoy the two of you forever. So please help us live the authentic life as your redeemed and beloved children (trusting that you see us as “good enough” through the lens of your Son who is in us) and thus do the good works you have prepared for us. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling