The Way The World Works - Part 1

Summary: Our world runs on a partnership of trust between man and God.

Genesis 2:4-6
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens---and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground---

Application: When God created the earth He created potential. The earth had everything it needed to fulfill the potential of God's design except for 2 essential ingredients. Water to feed it and man to cultivate it. When we create our new life as displayed in 'The Beginning' series, the same principles apply. Our new life has potential for being the pure life of God's design. But our new life will not grow on it's own, not even with a foundation of people that offer their support and people to share our space with. These people that surround us and the fruit that grows out of our foundation will die off without upkeep and our space will end up barren and empty. To obtain a full life above and and beyond a new life, there is an upkeep. The upkeep is water and work.

The Lord is always willing to meet us halfway. There is God's part, and then there is our part. If man was naturally able to trust, our part would be easy. But often, as the bible repeatedly points out, our lack of trust makes our part very difficult. I point this out now because the first part of the upkeep requires alot of trust. God will provide water to make things grow in the world and in our lives.

The water comes from God. Man has no part in it's creation, we receive it as a gift from God. The water will be provided and will never stop, so long as we want it and so long as we need it, which is forever and always. The only part of this upkeep we can participate in is to harness the water into effective areas, which will help things grow better and more efficiently. But God provides the basic tool for all growth. Harnessing the water also is a prelude to the second part of the upkeep, as we harness the water into areas that need the largest quantity or the places that require alot of water due to our work.

The work comes from man. It the effort of man that feeds a family, that tills the earth and sows the seed. We work the land in order to sustain ourselves and support the ones we love, to extend and develop our life. God designed us well for the work that is required, bestowing us with knowledge, creativity, strength, passion, tools for performing the tasks that are required by the world and in our new lives. We sow seed and till earth in the trust that God will water our efforts and grow what we need for a fruitful and sustainable life. The parternship is completed through our continual effort to improve and upkeep our space and our determination to keep it from ending up barren and empty.