Good and Very Good

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…”  Genesis 1:31a

My oldest son is a man of few words.  From the time he was a little boy, the mono-syllabic response I received to questions such as, “How was the party?” “How was the pizza?” or “How was the movie?” was always the same:  Good.  The mother in me wanted details.  Give me sentences loaded with verbs, adjectives, adverbs – I wanted more words!  After reading God’s description of each day’s creation, perhaps I need to consider good an appropriate, fitting and positive summary.

Each day had its own assigned work.  And consistently at the conclusion of each day, God pronounced His work good.  But on the sixth day, He added the adverb very.  This was the day the crown of His creation was added to the world:  He created man.  Creation was good to this point.  Now it was proclaimed very good.

In the months leading up to the birth of that boy-of-few-words, his daddy and I lovingly prepared the nursery for our first-born child. Our guestroom was transformed with paint, teddy bears, and baby furniture.  Even the laundry was cuter, as I washed the teeny tiny baby clothes and put them away in anticipation of the arrival of our first born.  Each night before going to bed, we wandered into the nursery, stood at the edge of the crib, and anticipated the joy that would be ours to see our baby there in a few weeks.  As we painted walls, sewed bedding, washed new clothes, and hung pictures, we could declare it good.  But not until our baby arrived would it be very good.  Welcoming our child home was perhaps the closest I can ever come to understanding God’s delight in placing Adam in the Garden and declaring His creation very good.

We were created in His image.  Genesis 1:27 says He created male and female.  Both were added by God on the sixth day and His masterpiece was complete.  Only then did He declare the world very good.

What very good thing does God want to complete in your life? Are you seeking fulfillment in something or someone other than Him?  Do you realize you were created with a purpose– that you are here for a reason?  We are on this planet to bring Him glory.  We were created for relationship with Him.  We look for fulfillment in so many other things, but nothing else will ever bring real satisfaction.  We may find temporary fulfillment masquerading as good, but there will be no real good, and certainly no very good apart from Him.

Lord, how I thank you that in You and because of you my life is very good!