And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” – Genesis 1:20-22 (NIV)

On the fifth day God brings life into his world. Water has been there from the very beginning, a prerequisite for life and the place where life flourishes. From the smallest bacteria to the largest mammals in the ocean God used the medium of water to bring his creation to life.

The word “teeming” is interesting in the sense that for the entire ecosystem to work it would have to be “teeming” with life. A single species at a time would not have worked.  As John Muir once said “everything is hitched together”.

Perhaps we can take solace in this diversity and take a cue for our spiritual and religious lives. The Christian “ecosystem” should be teeming with life, filling all the niches in the spiritual ecosystem so that the Good News of Jesus Christ can be heard in all places and by all people.  I think that each one of us has a unique set of experiences and skills which God can use to reach the lost with his message of love and forgiveness.  This happens best when we are in community together.  If we attempt to “go it alone” we are like a single species introduced, we will not survive.

Prayer: God grant me the wisdom to see what niches you have placed me in to share the Good News. Help make the world a place “teeming” with those who are spiritually curious and seek your face.