#NoFilter

A few weeks ago, I began a daily devotional that I really love. However, a few days ago, when I turned the page to find out today’s devotion would be studying the creation story, I guess you could say I was a little less than thrilled.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the creation story is really awesome. I believe in it 110%. But, like most Christians who are raised in the church, I could have recited the creation story by second grade at the latest. Plus, I just took an Old Testament class at Clemson where we did an in-depth study of Genesis. I wasn’t really up for another repetitive reading on how God created the Earth. However, I’m SO glad that I went ahead and did the devotion because I’m seeing the first few chapters of Genesis in an entirely new light.

Here’s the play-by-play on what God created on those first few days:

Day 1: the Heavens and the Earth, day and night

Day 2: the sky
Day 3: the land, the seas, plants and trees
Day 4: the moon and the sun
Day 5: creatures of the sea and birds
Day 6: wild animals, livestock, Humans
Day 7: He rested

Pretty basic stuff, right?

As I was reading over the devotional, I began thinking about the time it took for God to create each thing. It took God one day to create the land, which includes forests, deserts, beaches, mountains…everything. Every time I see a stunning sunset (especially those in Clemson) or an awe-inspiring mountain range, all I can think of is that I’m looking at God’s masterpiece. I think about how much time and thought had to have gone into creating something so beautiful.  

But the thing is, the Bible says that God spent the same amount of time creating US that he did creating the mountains or the sun. Actually, I believe God spent MORE time and was more intentional in creating us than he was in creating anything else on this earth. In Genesis 1:27, it says that “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” First off, God didn’t create anything else in His own image, only humans. In my opinion, I think that shows how much God loves us. He took the time to create us from HIS own image instead of simply saying “let there be humans” and then it was so. No, a lot more time and energy was spent that that. Psalm 139:13 says that God “formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” According to Luke 12:7, even the hairs on our head are numbered.  I think that God creating us was full of very calculated movements; our personality, our appearance, our emotions, and our entire life were very precisely planned.

Where I’m going with this is that everything God creates is his masterpiece. It is so easy for us to look at a white sandy beach with crystal clear waters or snow-capped mountains and say “Oh wow. God’s creation is beautiful.” We Instagram the landscape pictures with the caption that reads “God’s creation doesn’t need a filter.” But then, when we look in the mirror, all we see are flaws. We use filters to cover up that one blemish or to make ourselves seem more attractive. We don’t think about the time, energy or thought that went into creating us.

I’m willing to bet that if God had an Instagram, he would be posting pictures of His sons and daughters instead of landscapes. The pictures would be of all of us naturally- no makeup, no hair straighteners, no plastic surgery- with the caption “#NoFilter” because He sees US as the masterpieces He’s most proud of.

-Taylor