Reflection Paper about the Story of Creation – by Bryle Mancenido

God was there in the beginning, and out of His great love, He created the world and everything in it. He made the
world, saw that it was good, and fell in love with it. He created humans, saw how good they were, and loved them as
well. Not only that, but he was so fond of humans that he walked among them and conversed with them. Adam saw
this and concluded that humans must have a special place in all creation, as the pinnacle of God's creation. When
God brought the animals before Adam to name them, Adam saw this as being given authority over them. Adam
realized the animals were for his benefit and use. Generations passed, and humans populated the world, spreading
across the entire globe, with ownership of the earth being passed down from generation to generation. Each
generation extracted more and more from the land and depleted the earth's resources. When Jesus became a human,
he assured humans of their unique place in the created order. Jesus came bearing the message of a new heaven and a
new earth, a reassuring message for a world under pressure to provide for humanity. As a result, those with the
power to take the world's dwindling resources do so, while those without suffer. However, we look forward to the
day when a new earth is created and more resources flourish abundantly until humans exhaust that earth as well. I'm
curious if that story rings true for you. Some of it reflects current reality, and I believe some of it reflects theological
assumptions we make from time to time. But allow me to tell you the same story from a different angle. God was
there in the beginning, and out of His great love, He created the world and everything in it. He made the world, saw
that it was good, and fell in love with it. He created humans, saw how good they were, and loved them as well.
Furthermore, he was so fond of humans that he walked among them and conversed with them. Adam noticed this
and remembered His Maker. When God brought the animals before Adam, He made certain that Adam knew each
one by name. God entrusted Adam with the care of the animals and the entire created order. When Adam looked
around and saw all creation and how much there was to care for, he realized the magnitude of the task that lay ahead
of him. So, when God created Eve to assist Adam, Adam rejoiced at the prospect of having someone to share
equally the responsibility of caring for the world. However, as time passed, humans lost sight of their Creator.
Humans began to believe that they could master and control the earth. Each generation extracted more and more
from the land and depleted the earth's resources. When Jesus came to earth, he reminded people of their Creator, that
they are created beings, and that they have a responsibility to the rest of creation. Jesus came bearing the message
that the kingdom was near, and he prayed for God's kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. As a result,
Christians today are preparing the earth for the coming of God's kingdom. They long for the day when God's
presence will pervade the entire planet.