The seven days of creation, "and it was good". Day one, "Let there be light and... God is a surfer".

Photo taken on the Lutheran Campus Ministry beach retreat 2025

During this fall semester at our Lutheran Campus Ministry worship on Wednesday evenings we are doing a sermon series on the 7 days of creation in the first chapter of Genesis. The following is Pastor Will's homily and reflection on the first day of creation, preached on Sept. 10, 2025.

Genesis 1:1-5

1 When God began to create the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Now as we embark on our series on the days of creation in Genesis, let’s first reflect a moment on the Book of Genesis… what it is, and isn’t.

The creation stories in Genesis (specifically Chapters 1 and 2) are not science textbooks, nor a dictated history lesson dropping out of heaven from God… we (ELCA Lutherans) believe it’s not a story to be taken literal as much as it is a “WHO done it” book.

WHO created the heavens and the earth

WHO is behind all this

And revealing the character and nature of WHO is behind all this

The Bible is a library of books, the Latin word for Bible is Biblia, taken from the Greek phrase "ta biblia" meaning "the books".

And this library of the Bible, like a school or city library is filled with a diversity of genres… sure, it has Historical accounts, but also, Apocalyptic literature, Fantasy, Myth, Parable, Poetry, Historical Fiction, etc. etc. 

With other biblical scholars I would classify the first few chapters of Genesis as a Theological Poem…  A liturgical hymn… 

A rhythmic-liturgical-poem that has a Theological Agenda.

Now don’t let that word “agenda” freak you out, don’t run away…

The agenda of the creation stories in Genesis is not to subvert modern day science or match up with a literal historical time frame of days and nights but rather, the theological stance and proclamation that “It is good!”

IT meaning creation

Creation is good

You and I, are good

That matter matters… that “your matter matters”

You see, not unlike today, with competing narratives all around us about the underlining reality of the world and the place and purpose of humans in the world,

when the book of Genesis was threaded together, there were competing creation stories and creation myths all around the early Hebrews.

For example… A popular creation story was a Babylonian myth that in the heavens the gods had a huge battle, and out of the corpses of the loser-gods heaven and earth were created AND humans were created when the loser-god blood got mixed with clay… sounds a little familiar? Dust to dust, earth to earth

(Read for yourself the creation story and myth of the battle between Marduk and Tiamat! It's wild.) 

So what would that myth tell us about the nature and purpose of humans? 

We are a byproduct of losers who need to serve and bow down to the gods who won… or else you will turn out just like those loser-gods.

The Hebrews had a different hot take and world view about the nature of reality.

There isn’t a pantheon of gods fighting and competing for power, but rather one God who creates out of loving purpose. And so after each “day” of creation there is this liturgical rhythm of…  “And God saw that it was good.” 

So as we move through each day and night of creation over these weeks, 

listen carefully and pay attention to the Who, and not only what this narrative says about God’s nature and purpose but also about creation, about you and me. 

And so what do we learn about who God is on this first day?

Let’s hear again one of my favorite Bible verses…

“When God began to create the heavens and the earth (more traditional translation ‘in the beginning’)… there was chaos and darkness covered the face of the deep… and a wind from God swept over, over the face of the deep.”

The Hebrew Word for wind is… Ruach

It can mean… spirit/wind/breath 

So it can also be translated, “and the spirit/breath of God hovered over the face of the waters.” 

So what was God doing at the beginning of creation???

In my humble opinion… Surfing! …and God saw surfing was good.

As a lifelong surfer, and confessing I’m biased, it’s my hot-take and worldview that God saw surfing as so good and so fun that God created other beings to surf with... metaphorically, spiritually, or literally.

And so as the universe expands and evolves…

God the Surfer builds the fabric of the universe on waves!

Light waves

Dark energy… Dark matter… Light waves, Dark waves

Sound waves

Gravity waves

Ocean/Water waves (I think it's cool that spinning galaxies look similar to hurricanes that create pretty incredible waves in the ocean)

Surfing is the physical act of riding a wave and at it's basic nature it is a call and response and improvisational dance responding to the wave in front of you. 

I really love this idea of God hovering over and surfing over the waves of creation and inviting creation, and you and me, into a kind of dance and improvisational invitation into creativity. 

In Genesis God doesn’t defeat other lesser gods...

But rather God works with, surfs with, and subdues waves of chaos, subdues the deep, creating waves of light and dark.

God’s nature is to be in relationship with other things in a fluid partnership.

Perhaps there is a quantum entanglement with God.

And when God calls creation into being, God is calling creation, and you and me, into a relationship with one another… perhaps similar to a surfboard’s relationship and partnership with a wave.

And sure there's a learning curve, one does not just pick up a surfboard and start surfing right off the bat, it takes time and intention and energy to learn to surf.

And sometimes there are wipeouts.

Sometimes the waves gets rough.

Sometimes chaos tries to take over again.

But that doesn’t negate God saying to you and me and all of creation… 

Matter matters 

Your matter matters

"and it is good"

On this first day of creation God says, “let there be light!”

And boom, bang… light waves

Creation takes off and expands and evolves… waves of potential and purpose emerge and build and God invites us to surf with the Divine.

We are invited to respond to and ride the waves of light and life and relationality and love and grace that come our way.

And the good news is that God’s Ruach isn’t done with us yet.

God isn’t done creating around us and within us.

God is still hovering and surfing!

Even if you wipe out or if you get the most thrilling ride of your life God the surfer, never stops surfing with you. 

In surfing you can’t control the waves coming toward you, but you can control how you respond to them. You can paddle over them, around them, dive through them…

even ride them.

In life and faith you can’t stop the waves around you, but you can learn how to respond to them. Perhaps even surf them.

So as we explore the days of creation…

Don’t get too bogged down with the how it was done (you have great science classes across the street that go there), but rather focus on the Who is behind all this.

In the midst of lots of competing narratives around you, allow God to illuminate your goodness and purpose in the world.

Your matter matters and it is good. 

AMEN

At Lutheran Campus Ministry we often provide an opportunity for "turn and talk questions after the homily is preached. We have these turn and talk questions because we believe it's not just Pastor Katie and Deacon Holly, or Megan or Pastor Will that have all the answers and right perspectives… You have a voice and say… we are all theologians! And so YOU HAVE PERMISSION to ask and explore questions and things you are curious about. This is a safe and brave space to ask good questions, that’s how we learn and grow 

(Turn and Talk Questions for day one of creation)

How was the book of Genesis presented to you growing up?

Is your ocean (the deep) chaotic or smooth waters right now? 

How could the image of God as a surfer, or even lifeguard, be helpful to you right now? 

Are there any open questions or curiosity about surfing in general Pastor Will can help with?