In The Beginning
If we go back to the very beginning of time, we can see that at its core, at its foundation, humanity is not inherently evil. In fact, there is nothing in heaven or here on earth that was created with the intention to become evil.
Think about that for a moment.
Think about all of the pain, all of the hurt, all of the brokenness, the mistakes, the mess-ups, the shortcomings, the sin that exists in your life as you read this. Please know that God never intended for us to endure any of that.
In Genesis, (first book in the Bible) we’re given an account of how things turned upside down. We’re told how God created everything and the creativity used to breathe humanity and all of creation into existence. Scripture starts out by stating, “in the beginning, God” (Genesis 1:1a).
Perhaps that’s the singular truth you need to read today. That “in the beginning, God.” Scripture says he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:6).
So, in the beginning, God was there.
Before you were born, before you made those mistakes, before you thought those thoughts, before you endured that painful event, before he cheated, before your mom walked out, God was there.
He’s been there since the very beginning.
So, in the beginning, God’s there and begins to create His masterpiece. He starts with the heavens and the earth, and then God says, “let there be light.”
This command insinuates that there was darkness, right?
Now, I’ve got you thinking…
So, God speaks into existence—he creates light to illuminate this formless, nothingness, He brings light and life to it all. But then, Scripture says in Genesis 1, verse 5 that,
“God called the light, “day,” and the darkness he called, “night” (Genesis 1:5).
So, to sum it up: God created the light of day and the dark of night.
When you feel like you’re lost, when you feel hopeless, when you feel stuck in the middle of the dark, God is there. He was there when it was spoken into existence and he’s with you now. Darkness shouldn’t scare us. It certainly doesn’t scare our creator. He was there when it was named.
Perhaps you feel like you’re going through what St. John of the Cross coined a, “Dark night of the soul.” If that speaks to you, know that you’re not alone.
“God created the light of day and the dark of night.”
God is with you.
Scripture continues on and says that God created the oceans, the sky, plants, the sun and moon, animals and last but certainly not least, humanity. And after everything was created—like Picasso or DaVinci—God stood back and looked upon His creation—His masterpiece—His greatest work and it said,
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Anything and everything that comes from the hand of God was created to be good. It was created with purpose. It was created with intentionality.
And the same is true of you today. You are here for a reason. You are here for a purpose. God has instilled inside of you gifts and abilities, a mind, heart and soul that this world DESPERATELY needs. He’s given you potential that—should you choose to tap into everything he’s called you to be, should you choose to step up and courageously step into your future, should you choose to be a trailblazer—will lead to you changing this world forever.
That was His original intention—it has always been His intention, His mission—for you to be at the center of His greatest work.
“Anything and everything that comes from the hand of God was created to be good. It was created with purpose. It was created with intentionality.”
Yes, Geneis 3 (deemed, “The Fall”) is coming. Yes, it happened. But, that wasn’t God’s original plan. Humanity—deceived by the Devil—disobeyed God’s original command for creation and broke the relational intimacy that was originally extended towards us. Two humans that were meant to populate the earth and worship God for all of eternity ended up planting sin within every human being that was to ever come after them. It is because of this one event that we have to deal with all of the negative effects of sin. This is why there is pain, darkness, and brokenness on earth. This is why you and I are born as sinful creatures.
But, the story doesn’t end there. The story ends with Jesus. Jesus, Immanuel—God with us. A Savior who laid down his deity, took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, died an undeserved death, rose from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven. And one day, he will return to restore all that was lost in Genesis 3. Who you are—who you were originally created to be—will be restored. All will be well.
“In the beginning, you were created with purpose, meaning, and beauty.”
In the meantime, this year, may we begin or continue together the journey of waiting well and becoming more like Jesus. I think about Jesus’s prayer, “On earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
We—as apprentices to Jesus—have the opportunity to work towards the coming restoration and redemption of creation. We—through the power of the Holy Spirit—have the ability to defy temptation and to choose good rather than evil, as our foremothers and forefathers did.
In the beginning, you were created with purpose, meaning, and beauty. And so, as we begin a new calendar year, let us step into the fulfillment of our calling as sons and daughters of the one, true King. The Lord of Lords, who redeems our brokenness and restores us into right relationship with God the Father. A Savior who makes things the way they were always supposed to be.
In the beginning.
Be encouraged.
