God’s invisible creations…more than angels

We confess in the Nicene Creed that God created all things, visible and invisible.  But sadly when someone asks what we mean by God’s invisible creations, we usually have little to say.  We speak quickly of angels, trying not to say more than we really know.  After that, we go silent.

But I would argue that we actually have much more to say about the invisible creations of God.  For God did not just create a bunch of things apparent to any functioning eye but also ordered those things perfectly as well. 

And so he created not only the visible stars in the sky but also the invisible forces that hold them all place in the sky so concretely that a child can look up and behold the same constellations night after night.  He created the gravity that would push his creatures firmly against the dry land.    He created the unseen components of the air that would give life to plants and animals alike.

But even with these thing discussed, there is still more to say about God’s invisible creations.  And what is left to discuss is perhaps even less visible than forces present in nature or the air which floats around us at all times.

We all know that God created Adam and Eve.  Their descendants we readily perceive all around us.  They are the crown of visible creation.  But what we do not often note is the invisible orders God created to be active within humanity’s daily interactions.  While some of these orders would not be revealed right away in Genesis 1-2, all of them would be evident soon enough.  Orders like placing man and wife together in marriage.  Orders like placing pastor and people together in the church.  Orders like rulers and citizens placed together in nations.

And orders are by nature ordered.  It is not just that God created marriage but he ordered it so that it would be composed of husbands loving wives and wives respected husbands.  It is not just that God created the church but he ordered it so that it would be comprised of pastors serving their people and people being persuaded by their pastors.  It is not just that God created government but he ordered it so that it would be made up if of rules benefiting their people by rewarding good and punishing evil and citizens obeying their rulers.

These things are all part of the "Very good" that God declared about his creation.  It was not just that his visible creation was perfect but the invisible ways he crafted for that creation to function as well.   It is also all of this that was destroyed when sin came in swinging to demolish all God had created.  Not only did all flesh begin to die but the orders meant to be a blessing became a burden because of sinful desires which reject such order.

Thanks be to Jesus that he has come to make all things, visible and invisible, new through his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and coming again.  For this creation, all of it, is groaning and in need of restoration.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus.  Amen.