14 Dec One

“In the Beginning…”

We are all familiar with this phrase that opens up the Bible. There is something to be said about the first words that would be chosen for a book of such great importance.  When you are writing they say the first paragraph is your hook, it is where people decide if they will continue to turn the pages.

I have read Genesis I hundreds of times. It is my favorite chapter in the whole Bible. A few things I have discovered about the character of God through this chapter is:

• He is creative.  Genesis I:I In the beginning God created….
• He works
• He blesses
• He commands us to multiply

The beginning is intriguing. We all have beginnings: a new relationship, a child, a new hobby/sport, a new year, a new job, or planting a new church.  So what can Genesis I teach us about beginnings?  How did God begin this whole thing?

The first thing I found is in the beginning of something new there is darkness and it is unclear what form it will take.  When you start something new you have no idea what you are doing, it is much like waking up at 3am in unfamiliar surroundings and trying to find the restroom.  You may stumble, fumble, and walk slowly in these dark times. These are moments that can be frustrating and you question what you are doing.  In those times, just push ahead little by little.

In the beginning God was creating a place to fellowship with man.  I think it is interesting that he prepared for what He wanted. He made sure everything was ready: He got the atmosphere right, the temperature right, the provisions right, and then He formed His ultimate work of art.  He did not speak man into existence – He formed Him.  This lets me know that in the beginning there will be different types of work.  Some of this is mental (creative) and some is physical (manual).

In the beginning we also see the first blessing. It is important to speak blessings over the future, over the newly formed creation. God did not wait until man did something amazing to bless Him. He blessed Him in the beginning.

Finally, we see the first commandment in Genesis I.  God did not want man to just exist, but from the start He commanded the creation to multiply.  It would be easy to stop and for God to have enjoyed His creation, but He didn’t, He empowered man to reproduce the creation.

Wherever you are in life know there will be new beginnings. New chapters. New starts for you to embark on. God is real during these moments.  January is only a few weeks away and I cannot help but get excited about the newness of the year and what it will bring. The formidable days can be confusing and dark, but remember put the work in, speak blessings over the future, and multiply the work!