Creation: God's First Revelation           Creation, both of the Universe and more immediately Planet Earth, is God's first revelation to us. We learn about God through the Biblical account of creation and our systematic reflections about God (theology) as well as our scientific understanding of the universe and world. Our understanding of the Biblical message, Theology and Science interact to help us understand God.     Our own experience of living in the world and our scientific studies help us understand reality. Most would see the world as overflowing with life. Scientists tell us that beneath what looks like chaos, there is order. Modern physicists tells us that the fundamental reality in the universe is not some small building block of matter but rather vibrating energy, like the notes of a piano. In other words the fundamental reality of the universe consists of RELATIONSHIP. The Genesis account of creation is not meant to be a historical or scientific account (click for information on evolution). Rather the first eleven chapters of Genesis is a poetic epic account that provides answers to life's most basic questions. What do we learn about God from Genesis? (Note there are two creation stories). The first thing we learn is that there is a personal relationship between God and creation. God's Spirit (breath) hovered over the waters of chaos as a mother hen might hover over its eggs. In the context of this relationship, God created a world of: Goodness - (At the end of each day, God pronounces creation good). Order - We learn of a  (1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, etc.) Life - God creates (fish, plants, animals and finally humans). Peace - At the beginning (there was harmony among all: God and humans, people and animals.) God wants to be in contact with us. The Man and Woman, in relationship with one another, best reflects God, for they are created in God's own image and likeness. In addition,God has a special relationship with men and women for God walks in the Garden and converses with them. Sin causes a disruption in the relationship God so wonderfully created and so results in a good deal of suffering. At the heart of sin is the failure to believe in the "Good News" that we are created "Good" and the failure to live in "right relationship with God, self, others and nature." Thus we can talk about sin in terms of disobedience to God's commands. We see creation as God's first gift to us. Even though there is ambiguity in the world around us, e.g., storms and earthquakes, we believe that our God is a God of Goodness, Order and Life. Knowing this we can see beyond the ambiguity of the world and agree with those scientists who see the fundamental reality of creation as one of "Extravagant Generosity" and acknowledge that we live in an "Elegant Universe". Jesus confirms this when he comes to tell us that "God is Love". (1 John 4:8). To say that "God is Love" is to say that God is first and foremost a Relationship. We describe this relationship as that of Lover, Beloved and Love or Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that Christians have come to understand that there are three persons in one God, a Trinity and that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit want to live in a relationship of Love with us.