Six Geese a-Laying

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  Genesis 1:31-2:2

The six geese a-laying represent the six days of creation.  It is significant that these geese are busy laying eggs.  They are mother hens.  They are about the business of creating new life and nurturing and sustaining that life.  That is the message of creation and the role of the creator.  He is not simply the “prime mover” who sets the world in motion, but the merciful and loving sustainer of all that He has made.

True Love has given a gift that continues to give.  He created the world, and all that is in it, for His pleasure and to have an on-going relationship with His creation.  He made us his stewards and allows us to enjoy His creation.  He wants us to take care of the creation, not consume it.

These geese are not to be consumed as part of the Christmas celebration; they are there to provide the eggs, a valuable addition to this meal, and the promise of an increased flock for the future.  Though, as noted on day three, chickens produce more eggs, the goose egg was much larger and highly prized.  And the beloved is to care for the geese themselves that they may continue to reproduce.