God the Creator
Gen. 1:1–31
God is present from the Bible’s first words. The first thing we see Him do is make “the heaven and the earth.” In other words, God first appears as Creator. The theme of creation runs from the front of the Bible to its final pages, from the original creation of the heavens and the earth to the creation of a new heaven and earth (Rev. 21:1). God in Christ is Creator and Lord (Gen. 1:31; Col. 1:16, 17).
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The Bible says God’s initial work was “good” (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) and “very good” (1:31). Yet God’s work did not end with the creation of Adam and Eve. He continues to labor by providing for His creatures (Ps. 104:27; 136:25; 145:15, 16; see also “God Is a Support” at Ps. 12:5), sustaining creation (Neh. 9:6; Ps. 36:6; Heb. 1:3; see also “Sustaining the World” at Col. 1:17), and bringing salvation to people (Eph. 1:7; see also “God: The Original Worker” at John 5:17).
God does not work alone. Because He has created and called people to oversee the earth as His managers (see “Made in His Image” at Gen. 1:27–30 and “People at Work” at Ps. 8:6), we have a mandate to care for the earth—to preserve, protect, and use it wisely. As His coworkers, we are called to accomplish meaningful tasks, for which He will hold us accountable (Gen. 2:8, 15; Eccl. 9:10; 12:13, 14). How we serve here and now in this present physical world matters deeply to God.
As we imitate God’s work, we can identify with the jobs He undertakes. Consider the various jobs God did in forming the world. He was artist, designer, strategic planner, organizer, project manager, assessor, zoologist, biologist, chemist, linguist, programmer, materials specialist, human resources trainer, and engineer—to name but a few of His tasks. This picture of God as a worker impacts how we spend our hours today. It shows us that . . .
• Work is inherently good (see “Work Itself Is a Gift from God” at Gen. 3:17–19).
• Working with and reshaping what God has already created is important. It pleases God and matters to Him (see “People at Work” at Ps. 8:6).
• Few differences exist between work identified as “sacred” or “secular,” because all legitimate work reflects the activity of God (see “The Gift of Loving Well” at 1 Cor. 12:28–31 and “The Worth of Work” at Col. 3:1–4).
God gains honor through His own work, and we are to honor Him by doing the work He has given us. Pleasing God in our work is a critical way to worship Him (see “Your Workstyle” at Titus 2:9–11).
More: Some worldviews regard the earth as sacred and the universe itself as divine. Scripture opposes this view. See “The Weight of the World” at Heb. 11:3. When Genesis says that God “ended his work” (Gen. 2:2), it uses the same word for work that appears in the Ten Commandments: “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work” (Ex. 20:9, emphasis added). This informs us that work is inherently good since God Himself labors. For more on the value of work, see “God: The Original Worker” at John 5:17; “Workplace Myths” at 1 Cor. 3:9; “The Worth of Work” at Col. 3:1–4; and “Work in the Bible” at Rev. 22:1–11.
