Rogation Sunday: Just wait! I'm Not Finished Yet!

Scripture for this Sunday:  Genesis 2:4-23

Today we’re celebrating the oldest profession.

No, not that oldest profession!

We are celebrating very first profession – the one God established at the very, very beginning.

I want to tell you the story about how God made farmers, but I need the children to come up and help me.

Way back when God created the heavens of the earth, God took some dirt and just like modeling something out of clay God made a human being.  And that God breathed into the human being – and he was alive!

Now God took the human being and went out and planted a garden. A big beautiful perfect garden. And God made rivers that ran all around the edges of this garden, and springs of water came up from the ground to water the garden. And then God turned to the human, and said, “Here you go.  This is for you. You get to take care of the garden and plant flowers and trees and grass and all kinds of things!  And then you can harvest and eat whatever you find in the garden. Well except, for the fruit of one tree. You see that tree over there the big one right beside the big tree of life? That’s the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – you don’t get to eat from the fruit from that one.”

That’s how God made the farmer.

Now the human was pretty happy working of the garden, tilling the earth, and planting seeds and marveling at the variety of green things that God had created. And every evening God human would sit down and the human would tell God all about his day and what he’d done in the garden.

One day he said, “God, there sure is a lot of stuff in the garden that could be that sure is an awful lot of work to keep this garden up. Seems like an awful lot for just me.”

And God said, “Just wait. I’m not done yet.”

The next morning, God took the human out into the field, and said, “Sit down.  You get to help me today. I’m going to make some animals and some birds. And as I make each one you are going to give it a name.

So God took some dirt, and started making the wild animals and birds. And as God finished making an animal, God held it up for the human to see, and the human gave it a name. 

God:  “So, what you think I should call this one?” (Hold up a stuffed animal).

Human”  “Uh…” (Turn to the children) “What do you think?”  (After children name the animal)  “It’s a lion!”

(Continue until the stuffed animals are all named.)

After God finished making all the wild animals the birds, the human looked at God and said, “This is really great so many animals to eat all the food that the garden grows. But, um, God, I was hoping for may be something that could help me when I’m working in the garden and something that can be a companion.”

And God said, “Just wait. I’m not done yet.”

So God took some more dirt, and started making the farm animals. And as God finished making an animal, God held it up for the human to see, and the human gave it a name. 

God:  “So, what you think I should call this one?” (Hold up a stuffed animal).

Human”  “Uh…” (Turn to the children) “What do you think?”  (After children name the animal)  “It’s a horse!”

When God finished making all the farm animals, the human said, “That’s more what I had in mind!  Thanks God!”

And God said, “Just wait. I’m not done yet.”

So God took some more dirt, and started made a dog and a cat. God held it up for the human to see. 

God:  “So, what you do you want to call these?” (Hold up a stuffed animal).

Human:  “Uh…” (Turn to the children) “What do you think?”  (After children name the animal)  “A dog!  And a cat!”

And so the farmer became a rancher too!

And things were pretty good for a while. But one evening, when God and the human were sitting talking about the day and all things human did that day, the human said, “God, I really, really like all the animals you made!  The horses and the oxen help me plow and pull heavy things and bring in my harvest. And the cows and the sheep and the goats can give milk to drink!  And the cat in the dog are pretty good companions – the dog even listens to my stories!  But God… It still feels like something’s missing!”

And God said, “That’s because there is! I’m not done yet.”

This time, God didn’t take some dirt. God made the human fall asleep, and took a rib right out of his side!  And then God created a woman, and then he woke Adam up.

Adam looked at the woman and said, “She is what I needed! Someone just like me, to share the work, and to share my life. Thank you God!”

And that’s how God created the farmer’s wife.

Then God looked at Adam and Eve and said, “I’m still not done yet.  You’re going to have children, and they are going to have children, and so on and so on. And they’ll help you take care of the plants and all the animals, and make sure there’s enough food for everyone. Of course as it gets to be more and more people, I will give some of the people other things to do – like making music, or beautiful works of art, or things that you’ll find useful in your life. I’ll give people ideas to create things, and other people help them make it – all sorts of things for the children of the earth to do!”

And Adam and Eve said, “That sounds great! Let’s get started right away!”

God said, “I this is going to take a really, really, really long time.  I’ll just keep creating, and you just keep taking care the garden like I told you. Oh – and don’t forget to stay away from that tree!”

Thank you children, for helping me tell the story of how God made farmers and ranchers and actually people of the do all kinds of jobs. You can go back to your seats now.

Today we celebrate the oldest profession – caring for the earth, for the animals, for the plants, for each other, and making sure there’s enough for the whole world to eat. That’s holy work.

God gives us all a part to play in the work of caring for creation, caring for each other. It’s holy work.

Paul writes in Colossians 3:17  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  We talked about this verse in confirmation this week. That whatever we do – playing basketball, going to school, talking with friends - we try to do our best, we follow God’s commandments, we enjoy it to the fullest, and give God thanks.

That’s what we’re doing today. We are thanking God for the good gift of creation, for provision of food and beauty, for the people that take care of the land and the animals.

So as you go today, to whatever part you play - farmer, or rancher, or agronomist, vet, gardener, whatever part of creation God had given you to care for, in word or deed, care for it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him.