“There was evening and there was morning, the first day.” (Genesis 1:5, ESV)

Taking Care of Business

When did you start your day? For some, the alarm jarred you early, say 5:30 or 6:00 am. Others had kids or pets wake them at 7:00. Whatever hour your eyes first open, it is common for us to think that our day starts with the morning sun. Our day of work or leisure begins with the daylight and ends in the darkness, for some well past sunset. So, it is common that the day begins with a rush. We make sure everyone is dressed and fed to head out the door. We drop off family members while our minds race to conquer the “to-do” list of today and catch up on what was left over from yesterday. For many, mornings tend to be chaotic, but the biblical model is different.

Begin in the Dark

The Genesis account measures a day differently. Repeatedly we are told that the span of a day begins with evening and morphs into morning. That’s why the Sabbath begins and ends with sunset, not sunrise. The Genesis day begins with the dark. So, what difference does it make if we measure a day from sunrise to sunset, from midnight to midnight or from sunset to sunset? I am not suggesting that we revolutionize our calendars or clocks; but the Genesis format does transform our understanding of work and control of our time.

The Genesis day starts with the evening, generally a time when we begin to relax. We have put away many of our duties, gathered in our homes and start to doze off. Written before artificial light, the Genesis day begins with dusk, dimming light moving into darkness. This day commences not with a hectic pace but an unwinding of body and soul. It reverses our sense of order. Today, we tend to move from work into rest (sometimes collapsing.) The days God created move from rest into work. We begin the day by being still. We move from stillness into sleep, a time when we are unproductive, unaware of the world around us and non-responsive. The day starts with us doing nothing. If that is the case, who is going to care for my needs, provide for my family, govern the world spinning towards the dawn? I bet you know the answer.

While You Were Sleeping

In our current function of the day, we begin by taking charge. We embrace the obligation to provide, protect and reach for productivity. Whatever comes, it is up to us to seize the day! Clearly, we all have a duty to respond to life’s demands. But we are not the sovereign of our day – only God is. In fact, God is at work for us while we sleep. The Genesis day begins with us as non-participants, but the One who never slumbers or sleeps is alert and in charge. Psalm 127 reminds us that it is useless to cram the day and steal the night with our own efforts to take care of our lives. For God “gives to His beloved sleep” (vs.2). The phrase holds a double blessing. Not only does God give us peaceful slumber, but while we are snoring, He is giving to us in ways beyond our ability to work.

“In Peace I Will Lay Down and Rest”

The Genesis day does not shift our hours; it does shift our perspective. It reminds us that God is the Lord of our days and lives. When we wake up in the morning, we discover that God is already way ahead of us. Our security and provision are not the product of our own efforts. God has the initiative in all things. He invites us to trust Him and rest.  “For You alone O, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”