rural tourism


Genesis – an updated version J


eremy Martineau’s piece in the last edition of Country Way inspired another reader,


Geoffrey Haigh to contribute his thoughts on Genesis. We welcome a continued correspondence on this topic, please send ideas to the Editor.


Geoffrey says: “this version tries to avoid the idea that God 'made' each thing in its finished form, but to retain the idea that God was intimately involved in the whole creative process that has led us to where we are now.”


God is an optimist.


When you plant a seed, you have to have hope, and faith.


There could be floods, which would wash it away.


There could be scorching heat, which would dry up and kill the growing plant.


So you have to hope that there'll be enough rain, and not too much; that there'll be enough sun, and not too much.


Then, when you sow your seed, it's an act of faith.


God is a sower of seeds.


There's a story, back in Genesis, that God formed each of the animals in turn, and brought them to Adam, and asked him to give them names. You could imagine Adam sitting there and saying, 'Bear', 'Lion', 'Cat', 'Dog', 'Sheep' and so on. Only we know it wasn't like that. God began long, long, long before bears and lions, or men and women, sowing seeds. And on this planet at least, things came together, and life began. And slowly, very, very slowly, life developed. And God kept on unlocking the potential of all living things.


And each new child is a tiny bundle of potential. I remember holding my first child just after he was born,


wondering. What would he become? How would he meet the challenges of life? I'm still wondering - though he isn't turning out too badly. We all have the potential to do great good, and great harm. Any of us could become a Florence Nightingale or a Saddam Hussein.


God has been sowing seeds in your life. Some of them have begun to grow, indeed, some may already have blossomed and borne good fruit, but others perhaps you've locked away, unwilling to face the challenges they represent. 


Revd Geoffrey Haigh, Penrith


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