Waiting for The Good

I. The Expanse: Hammering Out Our Protection

Scripture:"And God said, 'Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.' And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day."(Genesis 1:6-8, ESV)

• The Function of Boundaries:Much like a massive stone fortress holds back an ocean of violence, God steps into the watery chaos of the "Deep" and creates a boundary to organize the mess and establish limitations so we can flourish .

• Hammering the Shield: The Hebrew word for expanse (Raqia) is rooted in the word Raqu, which means to spread by hammering. God is actively hammering out a protective shield strong enough to hold back the chaotic, inorganic waters of the cosmos.

• The Grace of Limitations: Because of our fallen nature, we often despise boundaries and treat them as suggestions. However, boundaries are a common grace; God is actively upholding creation and "hammering out" expanses of grace and mercy every second to keep us from being crushed by chaotic forces or our own sinful appetites.

• Life Application:

  1. Where are you currently treating God's boundaries as mere "suggestions" and fracturing your integrity or peace?

  2. Practice gratitude this week for the limitations in your life. A humble heart looks up at the heavens and says, "Thank you, God, for hammering the boundaries you have set for me!"

II. The Missing "Good" and Progressive Sanctification

Scripture: "And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so."(Genesis 1:7, ESV)

• A Half-Finished Work: Unlike almost every other day of creation, Day 2 lacks the declaration, "it was good.” This is because the work of dealing with the chaotic waters was only half-finished; they were separated vertically but still needed to be gathered horizontally on Day 3.

• The Guarantee of "It Was So": Even without the word "good," the phrase "And it was so" serves as a CONNECTOR between God's Word and His guaranteed fulfillment.

• Stuck in Day 2:This missing "good" provides a comforting picture of progressive sanctification. We often look at our own chaotic hearts and lingering sin, wondering why we aren't "good" yet, feeling stuck in the messy, drawn-out process of "Day 2".

• Utter Dependence: God purposefully leaves remaining corruption in the believer to keep us utterly dependent on Christ, humbling us so we don't stop trusting the cross.

• Life Application:

  1. Are you frustrated with the pace of your own spiritual growth, burdened by the grief of your own hypocrisy, or repetitive failures?.

  2. Recognize that your delay of perfection is not a denial of God's love .

  3. How can you rest in the grace of "And it was so" today, knowing that God will bring His work to completion on "Day 3" through Jesus Christ?

III. Setting the Shorelines of the Sea

Scripture: "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. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:9-10, ESV)

• Establishing Security: By gathering the waters into one place and establishing basic boundaries of land and sea, God creates security in time and space so that human life can thrive and work.

• Bounding the Chaos: In biblical poetry, the "roaring sea" almost always represents chaotic evil or overwhelming forces. God sovereignly sets the shoreline, meaning that the "waters of affliction" can only rise as high as He permits.

• The Filter of Providence: The devil cannot send a single wave crashing against your life without it first being separated, gathered, and filtered through God's providence and will.

• Life Application:

  1. Are you currently drowning in "seas of suffering," grief, or confusion?

  2. Remind yourself that the boundaries of your existence have been drawn by the Father. Take comfort in the fact that you belong to the God who draws the boundaries of the deep, and trust that He holds the shoreline of your current trial.