Early on, the Bible frames what we would later call sin, as going beyond the limitations God set for humans. The theological word for such sin is transgression. God, in his love, has given us boundaries to keep us safe, to keep us from hurting ourselves by doing more than we can handle physically, mentally, and spiritually.
It’s easy for us to take creation for granted. In other words, we get used to existing. It’s good to step back and look at the miracle of our existence and to try and recognize God’s purpose and intent for humanity. As Christ-followers, we are image-bearers for the divine and yet, at the same time, we are often plunged into the messiness of muddy situations in the church and in our own lives.
It makes sense that we would generally see light as good and darkness as bad. The scriptures often associate light with righteousness and darkness with hidden sin. Light is associated with joy. Darkness often symbolizes sorrow or confusion. But if we look deeper, beginning even with the very first chapter of the Bible, we see a more nuanced depiction of light and darkness.
It’s easy to overlook some of the finer details of this creation poem, especially if we come into it depending too much on centuries of ingrained rationalism. God’s creative work is not limited to the creation of physical things like the sea, land and sky, and the creatures that would inhabit each. He also created seasons and rhythms that still govern our world. Our society, however, seems bent on creating its own rhythms and displacing the seasons God established in his wisdom and grace.
