January 1 - Master of Understatement

 Read today’s texts first: Genesis 1 & 2; Luke 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When the Bible says, “nothing is impossible with God,” that is no overstatement - not when it is inspired by
the Master of Understatement!

Most of us tend to embellish our accomplishments, especially preachers.  We qualify such loose talk as “evangelistically speaking.”  Typically, our life stories are somewhat less than impressive so we do what we can to jazz them up.  Today’s reading, though, shows that the Creator of the universe has no need for such overstatement.  In fact, He is the undisputed Master of Understatement.  After describing in one sentence the creation of the sun and moon (no small feat for less than a day’s work), He adds, as if an afterthought, “oh yeah, I made the stars too.”   I guess for God it’s just a flick of the wrist, but we’re left wondering just how many billions of stars He can fit in the “span of his hand” (Isaiah 40:12).  After creating the earth, vegetation, sun, moon, fish, foul, and land animals, He pauses long enough to say, “that was good.”  He doesn’t add the superlative “very” until the last day when I would be exclaiming “this is incredibly, stupendously amazing!”

The only extra details God does include in His creation account seems to be a deliberate shot at future macro evolutionists.  He takes the space to mention over and over again all life forms (and the seeds for ongoing reproduction) were created “according to their kind.”  Sorry Darwin, but the boundaries of reproduction prove you’re wrong and God’s right!  His emphasis on morning and evening are a shot at those who underestimate God’s ability by trying to squeeze millions of years into a creation day.  While God may understate His work, we don’t have to – He is incredibly, stupendously amazing!  Gabriel was on hand to watch both His plans of creation and redemption unfold and we have to agree with his assessment: “nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1:37)

When we’re looking ahead to this new year and perhaps to some of the biggest challenges we’ll ever face, we need to keep Gabriel’s comments in mind.  “Lord help us to realize that when your Word says nothing is impossible with You, that is no overstatement.  Not when it is inspired by the Master of Understatement!”