Good.

"God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." (Genesis 1:31)

In the first words of the Bible, the book of Genesis, we hear an account of the creation of the world. If it has been a long time since you have read this, click here. It is only 31 verses and will take just a minute or two for you to read. Go back. Follow the link. What is stunning is that at the end of each day's creation, God says one thing...

It is good.
This is a profound statement to make about something you have created.

When we create things, we often downplay them. When my daughter creates something in art class, we are quick to praise it, but she often wavers. We'll say, "that's beautiful!" She'll say, "it's ok." I think this is something we have been taught culturally. Don't be full of yourself. Don't be arrogant. Be humble. Sometimes, this cultural message makes it hard to be proud of things we have done or created.

God does not have this issue.

When God looks at the creation, the words are simple. "This is GOOD."

It is easy for us to believe this is true in those first six days of creation...

But it is true in our hearts as well.

There are things about you that are GOOD. Think for a moment about the people who love you; what would THEY tell me was good about you? What is it that those who love you...love ABOUT you? Those things, whatever they are...are most likely also the things God sees in you and says, "This is GOOD."

So the first question is this: Do you believe there are GOOD things about you that God can use?
If not, go back and re-read the first part of this devotion.

After we allow ourselves to believe that there really are good things about us that God can use, the next question is simple: HOW is God using those good things in the world? Or how COULD God use those?

My favorite thing about St. Luke, or about ANY mission-driven church, is that the outreach and impact the church can make is not dependent on the pastor. When surrounded by so many of God's GOOD creations, my job is to release that into the world; to affirm the gifts I see in you; to empower and encourage you to find small, daily ways to take what is GOOD in you and let God impact those around you. In a healthy system of disciples who KNOW their gifts and are WILLING to use them, the pastor is like an air-traffic controller, simply making sure we are all coordinated and pointing in the direction we are called to go.

Look in the mirror. Hear the creation words..."it is good." Now go. Use your "good" to impact those places in your path today...

...and THANK YOU for being modern disciples. It is an honor to be your air traffic controller!