Genesis 1:3 “And God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light.

Observation: God created light on earth’s first day. A moment before, the earth had been “formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep…” (v 1:2) But in an instant God spoke light into being, and He “separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day’ and the darkness He called ‘night’. (vv 4-5)

Application: With an economy of words unimaginable to the inventor of something as simple as a pencil, the creation story is complete in a mere thirty-three verses. We think we know it so well we can skip lightly through the first seven days to get into the meat of human history. But lest His creative powers be taken for granted, there is within the story an astonishing thought: the light He created on the first day, this light that became “sky” on the second day (v8), was light exclusively on the earth.

This earth-light came not from the sun, moon and stars; they weren’t created ‘til the fourth day. No, earth’s light simply emitted from the mind of God Himself, given birth by His Word, just for earth. Imagine standing in your back yard on creation’s second day, gazing at the night sky and seeing—absolutely nothing. Try to imagine the first day of glorious bright light without a sun as its source.

To my small mind, it would have been more logical for God to have made the sun, moon and stars first. From them, light would naturally flow to the earth already organized into days, nights and seasons. But as I read the Genesis account, I realize that His plan trumps my logic yet again. Everything I can see far beyond even Hubble’s precision lenses is precisely two days older than my driveway gravel. Why would He do it this way? Wouldn’t my way have been easier?

None of this makes sense unless I view it through the prism of romance. The eternal God by His methodology reveals Himself as a lovesick bridegroom eager to stun me with His best capabilities.

At the end of the most perfect day of courtship, isn’t part of my beloved’s delight the fact that I had planned every detail with her surprise and pleasure in mind? The wise lover would not give his beloved an hour-by-hour itinerary, would he? That would spoil the romance! How much more must romance’s flame engulf the heart of God? His delight is in me “…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so will God rejoice in you.” (Isa 62:5)

Prayer: Father, I give You my heart. You are my lover, my Bridegroom, the One who delights in surprising me at every turn. Forgive me for ever thinking I have You figured out. You have ravished my heart with Your love.