Genesis 1 (NRSV)
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
Here are some questions for reflection:
1. This scripture reminds us that time is not just an arbitrary concept but instead a gift from God. How can we intentionally honor God with the way we manage our time?
2. Just as the light was created before its purpose was revealed, you too were created before your purpose was revealed. How did you, or will you, recognize your purpose when the time comes? How will you know it’s your season to grow?
3. The seasons in the northern hemisphere and southern are reversed. Not all days are good for everyone and not all seasons are the same, yet each is God created and good. How do you maintain faith that there is still good in those days when you struggle to find it?
4. As the seasons change (and change is inevitable) so must our lives. What do you pray for or hold onto in your faith while you await a change that’s due?
5. During the winter, the farmer is not idle. They are busy making preparations. Like the fisherman that mends his nets on days when he can’t fish, what can we do in those dark seasons to be better prepared for what’s coming? To be better neighbors and Christians?
6. How does the consistency of natural rhythms (like day and night) relate to our faith in God’s faithfulness? Can you think of a time when trusting in God’s timing helped you during a challenging season?
7. What other natural signs do we have, other than plants and trees, that signal an approaching change of season?
8. What does it mean to you that no fruit or vegetable tree/plant bears fruit all year round? And that not all fruit and vegetable trees/plants bear fruit in the same season?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. Have you experienced different seasons in your life? Which season of life are you least comfortable with and why? What do you feel God may be trying to teach you in that particular season you are least comfortable with?
2. Have you ever tried to force fruit to bear when you were not in the right season for it to grow?
3. The lights in the sky mark events and sacred seasons, like the star the wise men followed. Can you think of a way we still mark events and sacred seasons today?
4. The moon reflects the light of the sun. What might this suggest about how Christians are called to reflect God’s light into the world, even in dark times? What might the moon’s ability to light the night sky (though it does not create it’s own light) teach us about humility and reliance on God’s light?