St Andrews Free Church | Jewels in the Crown

It has been beautiful weather over the last couple of days in St Andrews. This got me thinking about creation. As we read Genesis 1, we see all the wonderful things that God made, and what is the climax of his creation? Humanity. When we look at all the amazing things that God made we are the jewels in the crown of God’s creation. We see this as Genesis 1 builds up to the creation of man and woman.

There are a couple of things that are worth noting about the creation of humanity. First is that we (I use ‘we’ because this represents the whole race) are blessed by God (v. 28). God has a special place for us in his creation. Secondly, we are the only part of creation given two commandments. God tells us to ‘be fruitful’ and to ‘rule over’ the earth. God has given us a special job in his creation. And thirdly, we are the only part of creation which God creates provision for. In verses 29-30 God gives all living things to humanity for their sustenance. God has a special care for us in his creation.

Whilst we can wonder in all this grace and goodness, I can help but wonder at the responsibility that this leaves on our shoulders. If we are the jewels in the crown of God’s creation, we must shine forth his glory as he made us to be. We should be living for his glory.

Of course as the story of the Bible goes on we realise our own dramatic failure. But we will rise through the restoration of Jesus. We are new creations in him (2 Cor. 5:17). This means we should take the bull by the horns in our pursuit of his glory. We should seek to gleam in every part of our lives.

So if you see the beauty of creation of the next few days or weeks, remember that the most beautiful thing God made was humanity, now restored in Christ.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

Lord, thank you for creating me, a jewel in your creation. May I gleam for you through Christ today. Purify my heart and fill me with wonder at your creation. Amen.

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.

Lord, I confess that I, along with all humanity have fallen. But thank you that I will rise. I can rise against the sin that holds me today, and look to rise victoriously with you in the last day. Amen.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Lord, when I look at creation I can only praise you for the beauty and wonder of it all. What am I in comparison? May I know how much more valuable and glorious I am to you in Christ. Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:15-21

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Lord, thank you for Jesus Christ. Thanks you for the new creation that I can be through him. Help me to take grasp of his re-creating today. Amen.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Lord, may I be someone who ‘goes into all the world and preaches the good news to all creation'. I know how much your creation needs your salvation and regeneration. Show me how I might do this today. Amen.





The Jewels in the Crown of God’s Creation					(click here for PDF version)

It has been beautiful weather over the last couple of days in St Andrews. This got me thinking about creation. As we read Genesis 1, we see all the wonderful things that God made, and what is the climax of his creation? Humanity. When we look at all the amazing things that God made we are the jewels in the crown of God’s creation. We see this as Genesis 1 builds up to the creation of man and woman. There are a couple of things that are worth noting about the creation of humanity. First is that we (I use ‘we’ because this represents the whole race) are blessed by God (v. 28). God has a special place for us in his creation. Secondly, we are the only part of creation given two commandments. God tells us to ‘be fruitful’ and to ‘rule over’ the earth. God has given us a special job in his creation. And thirdly, we are the only part of creation which God creates provision for. In verses 29-30 God gives all living things to humanity for their sustenance. God has a special care for us in his creation. Whilst we can wonder in all this grace and goodness, I can help but wonder at the responsibility that this leaves on our shoulders. If we are the jewels in the crown of God’s creation, we must shine forth his glory as he made us to be. We should be living for his glory. Of course as the story of the Bible goes on we realise our own dramatic failure. But we will rise through the restoration of Jesus. We are new creations in him (2 Cor. 5:17). This means we should take the bull by the horns in our pursuit of his glory. We should seek to gleam in every part of our lives. So if you see the beauty of creation of the next few days or weeks, remember that the most beautiful thing God made was humanity, now restored in Christ. Matt Ford Day 1 Genesis 1:26-30 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. Lord, thank you for creating me, a jewel in your creation. May I gleam for you through Christ today. Purify my heart and fill me with wonder at your creation. Amen. Day 2 Micah 7:7-9 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. Lord, I confess that I, along with all humanity have fallen. But thank you that I will rise. I can rise against the sin that holds me today, and look to rise victoriously with you in the last day. Amen. Day 3 Psalm 8:3-9 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Lord, when I look at creation I can only praise you for the beauty and wonder of it all. What am I in comparison? May I know how much more valuable and glorious I am to you in Christ. Amen. Day 4 2 Corinthians 5:15-21 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Lord, thank you for Jesus Christ. Thanks you for the new creation that I can be through him. Help me to take grasp of his re-creating today. Amen. Day 5 Mark 16:14-20 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Lord, may I be someone who ‘goes into all the world and preaches the good news to all creation'. I know how much your creation needs your salvation and regeneration. Show me how I might do this today. Amen.