“God’s First Blessing!”

“God’s First Blessing!”(Gen.1:20-23).
We are on the fifth day of creation which is the second day of filling.
On this day God in his usual orderly manner “created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind…”
Uniquely on this day God did not only see that it was good. For the first time, “God blessed them…”
God’s first blessing was pronounced on sea and air animals, not on humans.
Sometimes the way we human beings treat other creatures is as if we are the only blessed ones. God blessed the water creatures and birds of the air saying, “Be fruitful and and increase in number…” This is the same blessing that was pronounced on humankind on the sixth day.
If the sea animals and birds of the air do not increase in number we wouldn’t be having seafood by now. We also know how useful birds of the air are in cross-pollination.
The sea creatures are indeed very blessed. When through sinful humanity the rest of the creatures were destroyed by flood, the sea creatures were singled out for salvation. Water used in destroying the world is the natural habitat for water animals, so the flood had not effect on them. During the flood the water animals were not saved through Noah’s ark. They were not affected.
May we learn to appreciate that other creatures are as blessed as we are. We have been asked to subdue the earth and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air…, and take them for food(Gen.1:28&30). But this does not call for wanton and greedy harvesting that is leading to the extinction of some species.
We are stewards and not masters. Let us give a chance to other creatures to enjoy their own blessedness; which after all is for our own good.
Prayer: Holy Spirit open our eyes to recognize and appreciate the blessings of other creatures and treat them with care. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.