Genesis Lecture 34 (Third day of the Creation 1)
Bible passage: Genesis 1:9-13
“[9] Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. [10] God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. [11] Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so. [12] The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. [13] There was evening and there was morning, a third day.”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
This is the 34th Lecture on Genesis. On 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, became the first human in outer space and the first to orbit the Earth for an hour 29 minutes. He is known to have left two famous quotes. One was, "The Earth is blue," and the other was "I don't see any God up here." A few months later, another Soviet cosmonaut, Gherman Titov accomplished 17 earth orbits for about a day. And he said, "I circled the Earth a dozen times, but I didn't see God." The US also succeeded to launch a manned spaceship on February 20, 1962.
And John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth is known for having made this quote: "While in the space, I saw a tremendous view. God truly exists not only in the earth but also in the space." On Christmas Eve, 1968, for the first time in history, Apollo 8 with 3 astronauts entered an orbit of the moon. Over the 71 miles from the moon, the astronauts of Apollo 8 said they had a special message that they'd like to send to the people of the earth. A live broadcast of the actual event was broadcast on TV and radio stations throughout the States and the world. They began sending a very special message from the moon to entire human race on earth. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light...."
They took turns reading Genesis 1:1-5. On July 21, 1969, an astronaut of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon. As soon as he arrived at the moon, his first remark to the command center on earth was "The space that God created is so beautiful." On July 30, 1971, James Irwin, an astronaut of Apollo 15, drove the lunar rover on the surface of the moon. He said later, "As I was in the space and in the orbit of the moon, I experienced the presence of God who fills the entire space." He was also known to have meditated on a famous bible verse on his way back to the earth, while looking at the amazing view of the earth. It was John 3:16, which reads, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
James Irwin later became an evangelist. For 20 years before he passed away in 1991, he preached the gospel traveling the world. The key point of his preaching was that the salvation of God is His love for the weak and fragile humanity who are like people cast off in space. Dear brothers and sisters. Both Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts traveled the space. But why did what the Soviet cosmonauts said imply that there was no God, while the American astronauts experienced the presence of God? The following question was posed by a journalist to an American astronaut who was testifying to the presence of God in the space.
"The Soviet cosmonauts said they didn't see God anywhere in the space, but how could you see God?" Then, the American astronaut answered by quoting the following verse in the Bible. He said, "Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (His response,) it is correct. Those who are pure in heart can see God, but those whose hearts are stained by sin cannot see God. The arrogant cannot meet God, but the humble can. Those who are pure in heart and who are of goodness can feel God's eternal power and His divine nature. Tonight, I am going to explain the 3rd Day of the Creation. I hope you will listen to the works of God's Creation with much more humble and good hearts so that you can give praise and glory to God who did such an amazing work. Genesis 1:9-10 says, "Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good."
On the second day of His creation, the expanse was created in the midst of waters, and the waters below the expanse was separated from the waters above the expanse. Therefore, on the 3rd day of the Creation, only waters below the expanse were left on earth. Therefore, "the waters below the heavens" refer to the waters below the expanse. At this time, the surface of the earth was almost featureless. The entire surface of the earth was relatively flat with no high mountains or deep valleys. It was this kind of earth with such flat topography that was covered by the waters below the expanse. For your information, scientists calculated the depth of water needed to cover such a flat earth. Their study shows that the earth would be submerged under the water that was just 2,400 meters above the sea level.
Of course, the environment of the earth on the second day of the Creation was not like this. However, the surface of the earth was fairly flat, and thus even the waters below the expanse could cover the entire earth. Then, God said on the 3rd day of the Creation, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear." Then, crustal movements took place. Some parts of the earth rose up, and other parts subsided. And naturally, waters deepened where the ground sank. At this time God said that He caused a great depression like a huge pothole to form near the North Pole. This is why the North Pole is covered with the sea, and the South Pole is ground. As the North Pole sank, in equal reaction, the South Pole rose up.
The depth of the waters also varies in places. At the time mentioned, it was deepest in the North Pole, and it became shallower and shallower toward the South Pole. However, the surface of the early earth took on today's topography as the earth went through tectonic movements. For your information, the deepest point on earth is in the Pacific Ocean, where it is 11,034 deep. This figure is even greater than the highest point on earth, Mount Everest, which is 8,844 meters high. Currently, the average depth of the sea is 3,800 meters. God gathered the waters to the North Pole, and called the waters, "the seas." And He called the dry land, "earth." By that time, the seas were gathered into one, and there was only one continent. Then, the five oceans – The Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic, and the Antarctic Oceans, and the six continents – Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, North America, and South America, came into existence.
Alfred Wegener, a German scientist, proposed a theory that the earth originally had one continent, but that it was slowly divided and drifted around. This theory is called "Continental Drift." As science has developed, many evidences prove that continents can and do actually move. A new advanced theory was proposed, "Plate Tectonics" where continents float on low density rock plates known as "tectonic plates." I'll give you an example (of Wegener's) to help you understand "plate tectonics." A huge glacier is floating at the North Pole. Since the glacier is so huge, it looks like a mass of earth covered with snow. However, it is actually huge glacier that is broken into several pieces. The broken pieces will move along according to the current in the sea beneath the glacier. In the same way, "plate tectonics" describes "plates" that float on molten dense rock called the "mantle" and the plates can then move according to the flow of the mantle. Now, what if a huge glacier collides with another huge glacier?
Due to the collision, parts of the glaciers will be broken to pieces, and damaged, won't they? In the same way, due to interactions of the "drifting plates" volcanic eruptions or earthquakes take place. For your information, the reason earthquakes are frequent around Japan is because that is where three plates – the Pacific Plate, Eurasian Place, and Philippine Sea plate – are joined and interact. The Haiti earthquake last January also took place on the boundaries of 2 plates – the North American Plate and Caribbean Plate. The earthquake in Chile which took place on February 27, was also caused by collision of two plates. Chile is the country that occupies a long, narrow coastal strip of South America. The earthquake took place as two plates – the Nazca Plate and South American Plate – collided head-on. South American Plate is moving toward the west – toward the Pacific at 8 centimeters a year, and this plate collided with the Nazca Plate. Even though the earth is divided into several plates now, on the 3rd of the Creation, there was but one sea, and there was only one area of dry land.
All the lands were stuck together, and all the waters gathered into one. Then, through initiation of the tectonic movements, it was divided into several continents and several oceans. Ladies and gentleman I told you that the earth was originally covered by the water of life. And then the expanse was created in the midst of waters, and the waters gathered together to become seas. Now, since the water of life became the seas, was the water of life that covered the earth salty? Not at all! The water of life is not salty. Then when did the sea waters become salty? As God called the gathered waters "the seas," they became the sea waters with the constituents as of today. God made them to contain salt, and they became salty. What is the reason that God made the sea water salty like this? First, it is to keep the waters of the seas from corrupting, becoming stagnant and decaying as long periods of time passes. By common sense, flowing water doesn't stagnate, but the stagnant water decays.
If you put some fresh water into a glass for a long time, the water decays over time. The sea waters are also stagnant waters which are contained in a big vessel, called "earth." Therefore, chances are that the sea waters may decay over time. However, the sea waters don't decay. The salt prevents them from decaying. The rivers are flowing and thus they don't need salt, but God made the sea waters contain salt because they are stagnant waters. In addition, much water flows into the sea from the land, and much of this water is polluted. If the sea water didn't have salt in it, the sea would be filled with polluted waters from the land. However, there is salt in the sea waters, and the polluted waters can be purified. The second reason God made the waters of the seas salty is that it can greatly benefit the life of man. For example, salt from the sea is a necessity for man.
It is generally known that the purpose of salt is to season food, or to salt food to preserve it. However, there are more than 1,400 fields where salt is used. The amount of salt that is used for food is very small compared to the entire amount of salt use. Using the sodium and chlorine that can be chemically extracted from salt, people can produce various chemical products. Glass, soap, paper, plastic, pesticides, cleansers, bleach, glaze, antifreeze, fertilizer, agricultural chemicals, various medicine and medical supplies, and synthetic textiles – salt is very beneficial to man's life. Most of all, salt plays a very important role inside the body of humans and animals to maintain life. 0.9% of human blood is salt, and it performs many functions. It controls the body fluid to maintain its proper level, and it also becomes a constituent of digestive fluids (juices). Therefore, if you don't take in a proper amount of salt, you may lose your appetite, and in long term, you may suffer from impotence, boredom, fatigue, and mental dysfunction.
For instance, you may feel dizzy and you may lose consciousness as you sweat a lot. The reason is that the amount of salt in your body suddenly decreases. If you take in too much salt, it is harmful to your body, but taking in a proper amount of salt is necessary to maintain your health. God knew that salt is a must for human beings, and He arranged for it to be dissolved into the sea waters. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. As the seas and earth were made, the Bible says, "God saw that it was good." But the work of the Creation was not yet finished. In Genesis 1:11-12, God made the earth bring forth all kinds of vegetations, plants, and trees. Genesis 1:10 says, "God saw that it was good." What was it that God saw to be good? First, God saw that it was good because part by part the environment for human cultivation was being made. And, God saw that it was good because the waters and dry land were not divided but gathered into one. Just as God the Trinity is one in heart, in mind, and in thought, He wants His children also to become one in heart. He wants them to become one in heart with God the Father first, and then with the Lord, and with the Holy Spirit.
As the children of God become one in heart, God the Father sees that it is good, and He enjoys it extremely and takes great delight in it. Those who received the Holy Spirit can feel it. They feel joy and experience happiness when they are united as one with the Holy Spirit in their hearts. 1 John 5: 6 says, "It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth." Since the Holy Spirit is the truth, as you think in the truth and speak in the truth, and walk in the truth, you can become one with the Holy Spirit. 3 John 1:4 says, "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." As the Holy Spirit in you rejoices, the joy is directly conveyed to your heart as you are united as one with the Holy Spirit. The joy which words cannot explain, and which cannot be gained from the world overflows from the innermost part of your heart. However, if you think or walk against the heart and will of the Holy Spirit, you feel distressed and burdened. It is because your heart didn't become one with the Holy Spirit, but separated from Him. Of course, it doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit left you immediately after you separated from Him.
When you act in the untruth, the Holy Spirit groans and becomes sad. That's why your heart feels burdened and distressed. You should quickly realize it and turn back to become united as one with the Holy Spirit. If you keep standing against the will of the Holy Spirit and you are increasingly separated from Him, then the Holy Spirit may eventually depart from you. I urge you to become united as one with the Holy Spirit all the time, and to please God. Jesus also prayed that you might become one with God and with each other. Jesus said in John 17:21, "that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." Jesus gave this prayer on the day He was arrested. Just as God is in the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus is in God, the Lord wanted all of you to become one. Therefore, you should always try hard to become one with each other. You should become one in obedience following the order(principles, instruction, doctrine) it is not untruth. I wish you can set aside your opinions to be united as one no matter how good yours seem.
When you become the first to yield and are humble for the purpose of being united, you become the one that God sees as good. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Tonight, among the works of God's third day Creation, I talked about the creation of the sea and the land. In the next lecture, I will tell you about vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit. Since vegetation set its root in the ground, it cannot move to a new place by itself. However, even to this existence being as it is, God gave granted an amazing ability. It is the ability that was never given to a lion, the king of animals, nor humans, the lord of the creation. I will explain what the ability was that God gave to vegetation in the next lecture. Our Lord Jesus said in Luke 12:27-28, ""Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!" Together with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus managed all the works of the Creation.
That's why He could understand the love of God and His divine nature in the all things all the more clearly than anyone as He came down to this earth and lived with human beings. I wish for you also to be able to feel the divine nature of God even in a bit of vegetation. I wish also for you to feel this delicate love of God the Creator in the depth of your hearts. Just as the Lord said, "How much more will He clothe you?", you will be able to realize God's love for you is far greater than for the grass. It is because we are the masterpiece of God's Creation.
It is we as human beings, who are His masterwork. I hope that, through this Lecture on Genesis, you can deeply understand not only the almighty power of God, but also His love for us. May you love God more than ever, and be loved all the more greatly by God, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray! [Amen]
Mafundisho ya Mwanzo 34 (Siku ya Tatu ya Uumbaji 1)
Kifungu cha Biblia: Mwanzo 1:9–13
“9 Mungu akasema, ‘Maji yaliyo chini ya mbingu na yakusanyike mahali pamoja, nchi kavu na ionekane’; ikawa hivyo. 10 Mungu akaiita nchi kavu nchi, na mkusanyiko wa maji akauita bahari; Mungu akaona ya kuwa ni vyema. 11 Mungu akasema, ‘Nchi na itoe majani, mche utoao mbegu, na mti wa matunda uzaao matunda kwa jinsi yake, ambao mbegu zake zimo ndani yake, juu ya nchi’; ikawa hivyo. 12 Nchi ikatoa majani, mche utoao mbegu kwa jinsi yake, na mti uzaao matunda wenye mbegu ndani yake, kwa jinsi yake; Mungu akaona ya kuwa ni vyema. 13 Ikawa jioni, ikawa asubuhi, siku ya tatu.”
Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo.
Haya ni mafundisho ya 34 katika mfululizo wa Mwanzo. Tarehe 12 Aprili 1961, mwanaanga wa Umoja wa Kisovieti Yuri Gagarin akawa mwanadamu wa kwanza kwenda angani na kuizunguka dunia kwa saa moja na dakika 29. Anajulikana kwa kauli mbili: “Dunia ni ya samawati,” na “Sioni Mungu yeyote huku juu.” Miezi michache baadaye mwanaanga mwingine wa Kisovieti, Gherman Titov, aliizunguka dunia mara 17 kwa takribani siku moja, akasema, “Niliizunguka dunia mara kumi na mbili, lakini sikumwona Mungu.” Marekani nayo ilifanikiwa kurusha chombo chenye watu tarehe 20 Februari 1962.
John Glenn, Mmarekani wa kwanza kuizunguka dunia akiwa mwanaanga, alisema, “Nilipokuwa angani niliona mandhari ya ajabu. Hakika Mungu yupo duniani na pia angani.” Usiku wa Krismasi 1968, Apollo 8 yenye wanaanga watatu iliingia katika mzunguko wa mwezi kwa mara ya kwanza katika historia. Wakiwa umbali wa maili 71 kutoka mwezi, walitangaza kwamba walikuwa na ujumbe maalumu kwa watu wa dunia. Ujumbe huo ulitangazwa moja kwa moja kupitia televisheni na redio. Walianza kusoma kwa wanadamu wote: “Hapo mwanzo Mungu aliziumba mbingu na nchi. Nayo nchi ilikuwa ukiwa, tena utupu, na giza lilikuwa juu ya uso wa vilindi vya maji; Roho ya Mungu ikatulia juu ya uso wa maji. Mungu akasema, ‘Nuru na iwe’; ikawa nuru…”
Walisoma kwa zamu Mwanzo 1:1–5. Tarehe 21 Julai 1969, Neil Armstrong wa Apollo 11 akawa mtu wa kwanza kukanyaga mwezi. Alipofika, alisema kwa kituo cha udhibiti duniani, “Nafasi ambayo Mungu aliumba ni nzuri sana.” Tarehe 30 Julai 1971, James Irwin wa Apollo 15 aliendesha gari la mwezi. Baadaye alisema kwamba akiwa angani na katika mzunguko wa mwezi alihisi uwepo wa Mungu ajazaye anga lote. Alitafakari pia Yohana 3:16 alipokuwa akirudi duniani na kutazama mandhari ya ajabu: “Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu, hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee…”
Baadaye James Irwin akawa mhubiri wa injili. Kwa miaka 20 hadi alipofariki mwaka 1991, alizunguka ulimwengu akihubiri. Ujumbe wake mkuu ulikuwa kwamba wokovu wa Mungu ni upendo wake kwa wanadamu dhaifu na wenye udhaifu, kama watu waliotupwa angani. Ndugu wapendwa, wanaanga wa Kisovieti na wa Marekani wote walisafiri angani. Kwa nini kauli za Wasovieti zilidokeza kwamba hakuna Mungu, ilhali wanaanga wa Marekani walihisi uwepo wake? Mwandishi wa habari aliuliza swali hili kwa mwanaanga wa Marekani aliyeshuhudia uwepo wa Mungu angani.
Mwandishi akauliza, “Wanaanga wa Kisovieti walisema hawakumwona Mungu popote angani; mtu anawezaje kumwona Mungu?” Mwanaanga akajibu kwa kunukuu Biblia: “Mathayo 5:8 husema, ‘Heri wenye moyo safi, maana hao watamwona Mungu.’” Jibu lake ni sahihi. Wenye moyo safi humwona Mungu, lakini wale waliochafuliwa na dhambi hawawezi. Mwenye kiburi hawezi kukutana na Mungu, bali mnyenyekevu anaweza. Wenye moyo safi na wema wanaweza kuhisi nguvu za milele na asili ya kiungu ya Mungu. Jioni hii nitaeleza siku ya tatu ya Uumbaji. Sikilizeni kwa moyo mnyenyekevu na mwema ili kumsifu na kumtukuza Mungu kwa kazi zake za ajabu. Mwanzo 1:9–10 husema Mungu alikusanya maji mahali pamoja, akaifanya nchi kavu ionekane, akaiita nchi kavu nchi na mkusanyiko wa maji bahari; akaona ya kuwa ni vyema.
Siku ya pili ya Uumbaji, anga liliumbwa katikati ya maji na maji ya chini yakatenganishwa na maji ya juu. Kwa hiyo siku ya tatu, duniani yalibaki maji yaliyo chini ya anga. Wakati huo uso wa dunia ulikuwa karibu tambarare, bila milima mirefu wala mabonde makubwa, na maji hayo yaliifunika. Wanasayansi wamekadiria kwamba maji yenye kina cha mita 2,400 juu ya usawa wa bahari yangefunika dunia tambarare namna hiyo.
Bila shaka hali ya dunia siku ya pili haikuwa kama ilivyo sasa, lakini uso wake ulikuwa tambarare kiasi kwamba maji yangeweza kuifunika yote. Siku ya tatu Mungu akasema maji yakusanyike mahali pamoja na nchi kavu ionekane. Kisha miendo ya tabaka la dunia ikatokea: sehemu fulani ziliinuka na nyingine zikazama, na maji yakawa na kina zaidi mahali palipozama. Mungu alifanya shimo kubwa karibu na Ncha ya Kaskazini; ndiyo sababu eneo hilo lina bahari na Ncha ya Kusini ni nchi kavu. Ncha ya Kaskazini ilipozama, Ncha ya Kusini iliinuka kwa uwiano.
Kina cha maji kilitofautiana: wakati huo kilikuwa kikubwa zaidi Kaskazini na kilipungua kuelekea Kusini. Miendo ya tabaka la dunia ilileta umbo lake la sasa. Sehemu yenye kina kikubwa zaidi sasa iko katika Bahari ya Pasifiki, mita 11,034, zaidi ya urefu wa Mlima Everest wa mita 8,844. Kina cha wastani cha bahari ni mita 3,800. Mungu aliyakusanya maji na kuyaita bahari, akaipa nchi kavu jina la nchi. Mwanzoni kulikuwa na bahari moja na bara moja; baadaye yakawa bahari tano—Pasifiki, Atlantiki, Hindi, Aktiki na Kusini—na mabara sita: Asia, Afrika, Ulaya, Oceania, Amerika Kaskazini na Amerika Kusini.
Mwanasayansi Mjerumani Alfred Wegener alipendekeza kwamba awali dunia ilikuwa na bara moja lililogawanyika na kusogea; nadharia hiyo huitwa “mtelezo wa mabara.” Ushahidi ulipozidi, nadharia iliyoendelea zaidi ikasema mabara yanaelea juu ya mabamba ya miamba yenye msongamano mdogo, yanayoitwa mabamba ya tektoniki. Fikirieni barafu kubwa inayoelea Ncha ya Kaskazini. Inaonekana kama ardhi iliyofunikwa na theluji, lakini kwa kweli ni vipande vikubwa vya barafu vinavyosogea kulingana na mikondo ya maji chini yake. Vivyo hivyo, mabamba huelea juu ya mwamba ulioyeyuka unaoitwa vazi la dunia na kusogea kwa kufuata mtiririko wake. Basi nini hutokea barafu kubwa mbili zinapogongana?
Sehemu za barafu huvunjika na kuharibika. Vivyo hivyo, mwingiliano wa mabamba yanayosogea husababisha volkano na matetemeko ya ardhi. Japani hupata matetemeko mengi kwa sababu mabamba ya Pasifiki, Eurasia na Bahari ya Ufilipino hukutana na kuingiliana huko. Tetemeko la Haiti Januari iliyotangulia lilitokea kwenye mpaka wa mabamba ya Amerika Kaskazini na Karibiani. Tetemeko la Chile la tarehe 27 Februari pia lilisababishwa na kugongana kwa mabamba ya Nazca na Amerika Kusini. Bamba la Amerika Kusini husogea kuelekea magharibi, upande wa Pasifiki, kwa sentimita nane kwa mwaka na kugongana na bamba la Nazca. Ingawa sasa dunia imegawanyika katika mabamba kadhaa, siku ya tatu ya Uumbaji kulikuwa na bahari moja na eneo moja la nchi kavu.
Nchi zote zilikuwa zimeungana, na maji yote yalikusanyika pamoja. Baadaye miendo ya tektoniki iligawanya nchi kavu katika mabara na bahari kadhaa. Nilisema awali kwamba dunia ilikuwa imefunikwa na maji ya uzima; anga likaundwa katikati ya maji na maji yakakusanyika kuwa bahari. Je, maji ya uzima yalikuwa na chumvi yalipokuwa bahari? La, maji ya uzima hayana chumvi. Yaligeukaje kuwa maji ya bahari yenye chumvi? Mungu alipoyaita maji yaliyokusanyika bahari, aliyaumba yawe na viambato vya chumvi kama yalivyo leo. Sababu ya kwanza ni kuzuia maji ya bahari yasiharibike, kutuama na kuoza kadiri muda unavyopita. Kwa kawaida maji yanayotiririka hayatuami, lakini maji yaliyosimama huharibika.
Ukiweka maji safi kwenye glasi kwa muda mrefu, hatimaye huharibika. Bahari ni maji yaliyomo katika chombo kikubwa kinachoitwa dunia, hivyo yangetarajiwa kuharibika. Lakini chumvi huyahifadhi. Mito hutiririka na haihitaji chumvi, lakini Mungu aliweka chumvi baharini kwa kuwa maji yake hukaa sehemu moja. Zaidi ya hayo, maji mengi hutiririka kutoka nchi kavu na kuingia baharini, yakiwa na uchafuzi. Bila chumvi bahari ingejazwa maji machafu; chumvi husaidia kuyasafisha. Sababu ya pili ya maji ya bahari kuwa na chumvi ni kwamba chumvi hufaa sana kwa maisha ya mwanadamu.
Watu wengi hujua chumvi kwa kuongeza ladha kwenye chakula au kukihifadhi. Lakini chumvi hutumika katika nyanja zaidi ya 1,400, na kiasi kinachotumika chakulani ni kidogo sana ikilinganishwa na matumizi yote. Sodiamu na klorini vinavyotolewa kwa kemikali kutoka chumvini hutumika kutengeneza bidhaa nyingi: vioo, sabuni, karatasi, plastiki, viuatilifu, visafishaji, bleach, glaze, antifreeze, mbolea, dawa za kilimo, dawa na vifaa vya matibabu, na vitambaa sanisi. Zaidi ya yote, chumvi ni muhimu sana ndani ya miili ya wanadamu na wanyama ili kudumisha uhai. Damu ya mwanadamu ina chumvi kwa asilimia 0.9; chumvi hudhibiti maji ya mwili na ni sehemu ya majimaji ya mmeng’enyo. Bila kiasi kinachofaa mtu anaweza kukosa hamu ya kula na, kwa muda mrefu, kupata udhaifu wa nguvu, kuchoshwa, uchovu na matatizo ya akili.
Kwa mfano, mtu akitokwa na jasho jingi anaweza kuhisi kizunguzungu au kupoteza fahamu kwa sababu chumvi mwilini imepungua ghafla. Chumvi nyingi hudhuru mwili, lakini kiasi kinachofaa ni muhimu kwa afya. Mungu alijua chumvi ni lazima kwa wanadamu, kwa hiyo akapanga iyeyuke katika maji ya bahari. Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo, Biblia husema Mungu alipoifanya bahari na nchi kavu, akaona ya kuwa ni vyema. Lakini kazi ya Uumbaji haikuwa imekamilika. Mwanzo 1:11–12 hueleza kwamba alifanya nchi izae mimea na miti ya matunda. Mwanzo 1:10 husema akaona ya kuwa ni vyema. Aliona nini kuwa chema? Kwanza, mazingira ya kilimo cha wanadamu yalikuwa yakitayarishwa hatua kwa hatua; pia maji na nchi kavu vilikusanywa kwa utaratibu. Kama Mungu wa Utatu alivyo mmoja katika moyo, nia na mawazo, anataka watoto wake wawe na moyo mmoja: kwanza pamoja na Mungu Baba, kisha pamoja na Bwana na Roho Mtakatifu.
Mungu Baba hufurahi sana anapoona watoto wake wameungana moyoni. Waliompokea Roho Mtakatifu wanaweza kuhisi furaha hiyo wanapokuwa wamoja naye. 1 Yohana 5:6 husema, “Roho ndiye ashuhudiaye, kwa sababu Roho ndiye kweli.” Roho Mtakatifu ni kweli; tunapowaza, kusema na kutenda yaliyo kweli, tunaungana naye. 3 Yohana 1:4 husema, “Sina furaha iliyo kuu kuliko hii, kusikia ya kwamba watoto wangu wanakwenda katika kweli.” Roho Mtakatifu anapofurahi, furaha yake hutiririka moyoni mwetu tunapoungana naye. Furaha hiyo isiyoelezeka kwa maneno wala kupatikana ulimwenguni hufurika kutoka ndani ya moyo. Lakini tukifikiri au kutenda kinyume na moyo na mapenzi ya Roho Mtakatifu, tunahisi dhiki na mzigo kwa sababu tumetengana naye. Haimaanishi kwamba Roho Mtakatifu huondoka mara moja tunapotengana naye.
Tunapotenda yasiyo ya kweli, Roho Mtakatifu huugua na kuhuzunika; ndiyo sababu moyo huwa mzito na wenye dhiki. Tambua hilo haraka, tubu na uungane naye tena. Ukiendelea kupinga mapenzi yake na kujitenga zaidi, hatimaye Roho Mtakatifu anaweza kuondoka. Nawasihi muungane naye daima na kumpendeza Mungu. Yesu aliomba kwamba tuwe mmoja na Mungu na sisi kwa sisi. Katika Yohana 17:21 alisema, “ili wote wawe na umoja; kama wewe, Baba, ulivyo ndani yangu, nami ndani yako, hao nao wawe ndani yetu, ili ulimwengu upate kusadiki ya kwamba wewe ndiwe uliyenituma.” Yesu aliomba hivyo siku aliyokamatwa. Kama vile Mungu alivyo ndani ya Bwana Yesu na Bwana Yesu alivyo ndani ya Mungu, anataka ninyi muwe mmoja. Jitahidini kuwa na umoja, mtii utaratibu na kanuni zilizo kweli, na weka kando maoni yako ili muungane hata kama unaona maoni yako ni mazuri.
Unapokuwa wa kwanza kulegeza msimamo na kujinyenyekeza ili kuwa na umoja, Mungu hukuona kuwa ni jambo jema. Ndugu wapendwa katika Kristo, jioni hii nimezungumzia kuumbwa kwa bahari na nchi kavu siku ya tatu. Fundisho lijalo litahusu mimea, mimea itoayo mbegu na miti ya matunda. Mimea imekita mizizi ardhini na haiwezi kuhamia mahali pengine yenyewe; hata hivyo Mungu aliipa uwezo wa ajabu, ambao hakumpa simba mfalme wa wanyama wala wanadamu, wakuu wa uumbaji. Nitawaeleza uwezo huo katika fundisho lijalo. Yesu alisema katika Luka 12:27–28, “Fikirini maua ya mashamba jinsi yameavyo; hayafanyi kazi wala hayasokoti; lakini nawaambia, hata Sulemani katika fahari yake yote hakuvikwa vizuri kama mojawapo ya hayo. Basi, ikiwa Mungu huyavika hivi majani ya kondeni, yaliyopo leo na kesho hutupwa kalibuni, je, hatawavika ninyi zaidi?” Yesu, pamoja na Mungu Baba na Roho Mtakatifu, alisimamia kazi zote za Uumbaji.
Ndiyo maana Yesu aliweza kuelewa upendo na asili ya kiungu ya Mungu kwa uwazi kuliko mtu mwingine yeyote alipokuja duniani na kuishi pamoja na wanadamu. Natumaini ninyi pia mtaweza kuona asili ya Mungu hata katika mmea mdogo na kuhisi ndani ya mioyo yenu upendo wake mwororo na makini. Kama Bwana alivyosema, “atawavika ninyi zaidi,” mtaelewa kwamba upendo wa Mungu kwenu ni mkuu zaidi kuliko kwa majani ya kondeni. Sisi ni kazi bora ya Uumbaji wa Mungu.
Sisi wanadamu ndio kazi yake bora. Natumaini kupitia mafundisho haya ya Mwanzo mtaelewa kwa kina si nguvu za Mungu Mwenyezi tu, bali pia upendo wake kwetu. Na mpendeni Mungu kuliko hapo awali, naye awapende kwa wingi zaidi. Ninaomba haya katika jina la Bwana Yesu Kristo. [Amina!]
