Next, God caused the rays of the sun to gladden the earth, and let it
see the moon lighted up by the sun, as well as the stars far beyond
our firmament. We count the months by the changes in the moon; and
our earth's journey around the sun marks our years and seasons. We
all rejoice in a bright sunny day, though the sun is too bright and
glorious for us to bear to gaze at him; and how lovely the moon looks,
either as a young crescent, or a beautiful full moon!
The waters began to be full of live things, that swam, or crept, or
flew: fishes, and birds, and insects. By that time this world was
nearly as we see it, and a beautiful home for us to live in. Then
God made the four-footed beasts--sheep and cows, horses, dogs, cats,
elephants, lions--all that we use or admire; and, last of all, when
He had made this earth a happy, healthy place, He planted the Garden
of Eden, and put in it the first man and woman, the best of all that
He had made; for though their bodies were of dust, like those of the
beasts, yet their souls came from the Breath of God. They could think,
speak, pray, and heed what is unseen as well as what is seen.
There are many many lessons to be learnt from this wonderful story. Let
us try to take home one of them. Let us ask our Father that the ground
below, the light above, the sky and sea, the sun and moon, the trees
and flowers, the birds and beasts, and His holy day of rest, may remind
us that they came from Him, and that we may be very thankful to Him for
having given us such good things.