In the first creation account of Genesis (1:1-2:4a), we read:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.”
We then move on to read in Genesis 1:6-9
“And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.”
What strikes me as odd about these two passages is the fact that water seems to be the only thing in this account that is not created by God. God creates the heavens and the earth, as well as the firmament, but water takes on an almost pre-existent quality in this story. It is not created by God, but rather tamed or controlled by God. The firmament that God creates, while acting as the sky in ancient theology, was primarily created to hold back the waters of chaos.
Later, in Genesis 6, we find the familiar story of Noah and his sons. Out of the entire population of the earth, they were the only ones who found favor in God’s eyes. Because of this favor, God decides that they should be spared from what is about to take place. The waters of chaos are about to be released so that they can consume the earth. Noah and his family build an ark, which acts as a sort of temporary creation, its hull and roof serving as the firmament which holds back the waters from destroying them along with the rest of the earth.
The end of this story is also a familiar one…the waters recede and God promises never to allow the waters to come up and destroy the earth again. This story is not as much about destruction and wickedness as it is about Grace. The creation that surrounds us is a product of God’s grace. It was and is created not out of obligation or boredom, but out of the grace that defines the creator. We are not here because of any effort that we have put forth, but because God’s grace sustains us.
Just as Noah and his family, we are surrounded by chaotic waters. Whatever form these waters take, they are constantly there, swirling and threatening to undo our very existence. We sometimes catch glimpses of these waters as they seep slowly through the cracks in our hull. We experience these leaks in many ways, from financial difficulties to relationship troubles. Whatever form the leak takes, the promise of God remains.
God’s promise is not that our hull will not have leaks and that we will never experience anything negative. God’s promise is that the waters of chaos will never again be allowed to overtake and destroy us. This is a promise made by a God who is bound by nothing and responsible to no one. Grace is given as a gift and one that, because of God’s freedom, can be taken back at any time. This freedom, however, is overshadowed by the love that God has shown to us and to those who have come before.
Grace is a promise we can count on, not because God is obligated to give it, but because God wills to give it.
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