Genesis 1:14-19 – Seize the day! Maximize!

On the fourth day of creation described in Genesis 1:14-19, God introduced the luminaries: the sun, moon and the stars. These are important features as they help to regulate days, years and seasons. God has all these lights hung in the heavens so that their shine can brilliantly reach the whole earth. The sun is the great light that He had created to rule the day, and the moon, the lesser light to rule the night. He also had all the tiny little stars that twinkle and rightly lighting up the night sky. These are the signature of God’s hand. He spoke the word and the luminaries came into order. Hallelujah!

We cannot imagine a night that’s bright and a day that’s dark. If it were, the routine of life would be topsy-turvy. There are people who claim to be more nocturnal in orientation, so they believe they function better at night. The question is, would this go against the grain of God’s intention? Nights are best for rest and sleeping, and days are best for working. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said, “Work while it is yet day, for night will come when no man can work.” Daylight is provided for working, darkness of night is provided for good sleep. Light of the luminaries regulates our time for work, for rest and for sleep. Hence if we handle day and night rightly, we will certainly be the most effective, productive people for His glory. Every day is important. We must work well in the day and also sleep well in the night, so that the good cumulative effect of life will be brought to its maximum.  God longs to give us days of life. How we regulate our days helps to regulate our life. The days then collectively go to make months and years.

The days, years and seasons are brought about through the earth rotation and also her revolution around the sun. It rotates around an axle at a certain plane of its own to regulate time. And also revolves around the sun to regulate the time of the year and seasons. Based on the movements different parts of the earth will experience different seasons at different times. This is not a scientific discussion, so we shall not deal with this in detail. Suffice to say, the changes in the weather, ecology, and amount of daylight is discernible in each season. And there are four seasons in a year: summer, winter, spring and fall. Of course we mustn’t forget the evergreen season like ours. Here again we conclude that God provides variety. Though man, the crown of God’s creation would be created on the sixth day, this crown of creation would be totally wired up to adapt to the days, years and seasons. Our God had wonderful forethought before He created us. How marvelous! How wonderful!

The world would be absolutely perfect had not been for the fall of man. The environment and nature would be in absolute synchronization that would have brought perfect temperature, weather and ecology. Today even after that fall, though nature is not in total harmony, we still experience a degree of good functioning order. However, imperfect as their function may be, we still see glimpses of the glorious hand of the great architect of the universe working behind the scene. God not only created the sun, moon and stars but also is now sustaining it. We must learn to enjoy the beauty of the night sky and the warmth of the daylight. Man must rightly and responsibly handle the earth and enjoy the seasons. Different season brings with it different challenges. As God’s children, remember to “Carpe Diem!” That is to take full advantage of each moment, seize the day, maximize our life for God!