That Was the Week That Was!

On an outing recently, Rea and I were discussing the burdensome events in the news and the negative way they are reported. We remembered the 1964-65 TV program, “That Was the Week That Was?” (It was a satirical program that lampooned persons and events in the news the previous week). Realizing that we were watching too much TV and taking it too seriously, I suggested that we need such a program now to put a little jest and joy into our lives.

From this, the conversation turned to the beauty of the day and the wonders of God’s creation. We thought it interesting, even humorous, that God should create such a variety of interesting things. We concluded that He enjoyed creating and that He was pleased with His work. I knew that we had just discovered the subject of my next essay. “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. God saw that the light was good.” On and on He went through the six days of creation, always looking on what He had made and seeing that it was good. But He rested on the seventh day and looked back on the previous week with a great degree of satisfaction. “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31). As we shared creation thoughts, we marveled at the variety of shapes and colors in the things God made. Creation is such an awesome sight, so full of wonders, surprises and humor that we supposed God may have laughed aloud upon seeing some of the things He made. He may have even surprised Himself.

God does not express His joy, but those who knew Him best tell us He was pleased. David said, “He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind…You covered (the earth) with the deep as with a garment; the waters were standing above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled…the mountains rose; the valleys sank down to the place which You established for them…The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His work…He made the moon for the seasons; the sun knows the place of its setting… O Lord, how many are your works! In wisdom you have made them all…Let the Lord be glad in His works” (Psa. 104). “I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine…For every beast in the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. The world is Mine, and all that it contains” (Psa.50). Can’t you imagine God frolicking across the clouds, looking down with great satisfaction on his handiwork? He knew that we would spend our lives trying to take it in, laughing at the funny things and filled with awe at the marvelous thing He had made for us.

At an annual meeting of my church we shared our concern about finances. A good brother said, “We are concerned but God is not; He owns cattle on a thousand hills; if he wants to he can sell a cow and take care of our need.”

All that God had created joined in praising Him and sharing His joy. “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all it continents; let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord” (Ps. 96:9). Shouldn’t we, in our turn, join in the praise and joy of our Creator? “As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so your God will rejoice over you” (Isa 62:5). “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! When I consider the heavens, the works of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that you take thought of him…O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth” (Psa. 8).

God enjoyed His creation week and looked upon it with delight. We should also look back on our past weeks with joy and satisfaction. A hilarious week in the 1960’s was not the week that was; the glorious week of creation— “That Was the Week That Was!” And so is every week that we are privileged to live on God’s good earth and share His creation joy.