Daily Worship

Original Blessing

Alec Shuttleworth January 22, 2017 0 0

Genesis 1

God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
        reflecting our nature
    So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
        the birds in the air, the cattle,
    And, yes, Earth itself,
        and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
    God created human beings;
        he created them godlike,
    Reflecting God’s nature.
        He created them male and female.
    God blessed them:
        “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
    Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
        for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

29-30 Then God said, “I’ve given you
        every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
    And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,
        given them to you for food.
    To all animals and all birds,
        everything that moves and breathes,
    I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”
        And there it was.

31 God looked over everything he had made;
        it was so good, so very good!
    It was evening, it was morning—
    Day Six.

The theme for our reflections this week is discovering the secret of contentment. Mathew 6: 32-33 identifies the kingdom of God as the focus of our search. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”

We have a problem with so much of our theology and that is that it is about answering a problem. The evangelist preacher asks the crowds at the rally, “Are you saved” We preach the mortal danger to the soul of the unrepentant.  

That is why I want us this week to start by looking at Genesis chapter 1. Read as much of it or as little of it as you want, but whatever you do notice the recurring theme: “It was good”. Richard Rohr the Franciscan monk points out that “looking at Creation in progress, “God saw that it was good” five times and “found it very good” after the sixth day (Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). We all need to know that this wonderful thing called life is going somewhere and somewhere good. It is going someplace good because it came from goodness—a beginning of “original blessing” instead of “original sin.””

If we really want to stop and reflect and make peace with our lives and our attempts to follow God, let us make this the starting place, a doctrine of original blessing.

Today let us say a series of little prayers as the opportunity presents itself.

 

This time of reflection is good. May I be blessed through it…..

This food is good. May I be blessed through it……….

This conversation is good. May I be blessed through it……..

This family time that I share is good. May I be blessed through it……..

This time of rest is good. May I be blessed through it………

 

Our prayers today should be nothing more than an attitude of mind where we accept the blessings of God graciously, and do not wrestle with our unworthiness to receive the blessing, because original blessing is God’s plan and gift.