God Smiling Series

SERIES: Welcome to the Planet #5

TEXT: Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31

TITLE: God Smiling

Author Bob Coy went in to wake his 4-year-old daughter Caitlyn…who peacefully slept.

He spoke softly…sat on her bed…she started to stir…she woke up frustrated. With a bit of anger in her voice Caitlyn said, “Daddy, you took my dream away.”

Bob said, “Caitlyn, what do you mean?”

4-year-old Caitlyn said, “I was having the greatest dream and you woke me up…Daddy, I want my dream back.”

There are many people…who go through the motions of living…who somewhere between childhood and adulthood who have somehow – somewhere…lost their dream.

Once they dared to dream…now they’ve settled. That’s easy.

It’s easy to stop expecting…

…to stop hoping.

…to stop trusting.

…to stop dreaming.

That’s easy…until we open the Bible and consider the 1st two chapters.

Genesis 1 & 2.

Welcome to the Planet has been about getting the dream back. About letting God re-introduce us to His reality.

If we choose to believe the Bible…then we gain all kinds of insights and benefits.

-We get to believe that our planet has been Divinely Designed by an incredible designer.

-We get to believe that we have been Creatively Wired to be like Jesus. Pre-destined to live Christ-like lives.

-We get to believe that we have been Strategically Placed…to complete the work God has given to us in such a time as this.

-We get to believe that we have been Abundantly Blessed with everything we need for life on earth and beyond.

We get our dream back.

I preach this morning with a mix of emotions. I can’t wait to share what God has shared with me this week...but a bit disappointed that this series is coming to an end.

Let’s take 1 more look through Genesis 1 & 2...there’s a truth we’ve just gotta get a hold of…it runs like a thread through a garment…from start through the finish…you’ll see it…it’s easy…God repeats it 7 times.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good.” - Genesis 1:3-4a

“God called the dry ground ‘land,’ and the gathered waters he called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good. – Gen. 1:10

“The land produced vegetation…and God saw that it was good.” - Gen. 1:12

“God made two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars…and God saw that it was good. – Gen. 1:16-18

“So God created the great creatures of the sea…and God saw that it was good.” - Gen. 1:21

“God made the wild animals, the livestock, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds…and God saw that it was good.” - Gen. 1:25

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” - Gen. 1:31a

Here’s a truth that can rock some people’s religious world. It’s too much for some…

But its true…God can be pleased. God can be happy.

God saw…and said, “that’s good.” “That’s great.” “That’s the way I intended it to be.”

Filled with satisfaction…and joy…and pleasure…God Smiled. “It was good…it was very good.”

Is there room in your theology for a smiling God?

I’m reading from Numbers 6

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron and his sons, “This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” - Numbers 6:22-26

Is there room in your understanding of God…for a smile on His face?

Zephaniah is a short 3 chapter book in the Old Testament. Old Zeph was a preacher…a prophet…He served the Lord’s interests in real tough times.

Pastor Zeph tucked this into his message:

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” - Zeph 3:17

Is there room in your theology for a God who can take “delight in you?”

Who can rejoice and sing over your life?

Some of us believe in a God who knows the number of hairs on our heads as the Bible says. We can believe in a God who understands our struggles. We can believe in a God who asks us for our obedience…

but what about believing that the God of the universe would take the time to write a song…sing it, and rejoice over each one of us.

Is there room for a rejoicing God?

I don’t know much about this song… except that it must have been written from Zeph’s sermon.