In recent times I have returned to a hobby of my youth, building model aircraft from kits. My skills are a little rusty but improving with practice and I now have a growing collection.
Even a small model aircraft can take many hours to assemble and paint, with many more interesting hours, in books and on-line, researching the history of the real thing. Rarely is a model built in one session so there is plenty of opportunity to review progress. Then, once the finishing touches are added and the model complete, I can sit back and admire my handiwork. It’s therapeutic; a labour of love.
These models are not ‘all my own work’. Many hours of work have already gone into creating in kit form the 70 or so small plastic components I have worked with, together with a detailed set of assembly instructions. Although I admire my handiwork, I recognise that the finished article is a team effort.
In the beginning God created ……. Over recent days the morning lectionary has led us through the creation stories from the start of Genesis. Where I started with a kit: components, assembly instructions and all; God started with nothing. God created from nothing. Where I build on the work of others, God is the only god, there is no other god before him to build on. Where I proceed step by step; stopping on the way to review progress I find that, at the end of each day God also stopped, reviewed progress and saw that it was good. Then, on the final day, I find that God saw all that he had made, saw that it was very good, and sat back to rest and admire it all, just as I do.
All things came into being through him (Jn 1:3). When I think of how much care and attention I put into one small act of creation and the pleasure I derive from that: how much more does God love me, and the world and people around me. This is God’s creation. Do I love and care for his handiwork as much as I love and care for my own?
Rev’d Philip Payne The Notice Sheet for 14 January 2024 can be found here
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