And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years…And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:14,18b, NIV)
On this fourth day of creation, God creates the sun, moon, and stars to separate day from night. Read from our modern viewpoint; we are tempted to raise any number of scientific questions that arise from a literal reading of this passage.
We easily miss the rather clear teachings that would have been immediately obvious to ancient readers and hearers of Scripture—that these heavenly bodies are not named. They are not gods. They are part of the created world and serve essential functions in its sustained viability and for the purposes and plans of God’s creative pinnacle—humanity.
In this account, humanity has not yet appeared, but “heavenly lights” will play a significant role in their physical, emotional, and spiritual lives daily and throughout human history—marking days, seasons, and years; delineating sacred times of worship, offerings, and remembrances; creating the routines and rhythms—the seasons—that define the human experience.
Dear God, thank you for the seasons of life and the lessons they bring. Help us embrace these rhythms with grace and gratitude, knowing you are with us. May we find strength in the changes, growth in the challenges, and peace in the stillness. Guide us as we journey through life ever closer to you. Amen.