January 1

Today's Reading: Genesis 1; Matthew 1

Today's Thoughts: Back to the Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4

Sometimes I need to go back to the beginning of the Bible to get a new perspective on things. The book of Genesis is a wonderful book filled with all kinds of new beginnings. From the creation of the universe to the beginnings of civilization, I am always blessed when I start reading Genesis. Let's look at the first four verses to see how they can give us a fresh and new perspective for today.

I love the first four words: "In the beginning God…." That says it all. Sometimes I just need to be reminded that God has always existed. It is hard to comprehend the concept that before "the beginning," there was God, but it is a truth that we can embrace with love and respect. He is God and there is none other. "God," as used in this passage, is the Hebrew word "Elohim," which is plural (meaning more than one). Elohim refers to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, existing since the beginning of creation. It brings great comfort in being reminded that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present, from beginning to end (Alpha and Omega), while taking care of us in the middle too.

The next amazing part of these verses describes how God separated the light from the darkness. The earth was dark and had no form or substance. But God is light and in Him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God saw the darkness and knew that the whole earth needed His light. Thus, God brought forth His light for us. When we feel as though darkness surrounds us, we look upon Jesus and He is still bringing forth His light for us today. These verses remind us that God understands darkness and never intended for us to live in it. He created the light, separated the light from darkness, and said, "it was good."

When man sinned, darkness entered into our hearts and the light of God went out. God sent His Son, Jesus, to bring light into the world so that all who believe in Him might be saved from the eternal darkness. For those of us today who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are filled with His eternal presence through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Everywhere we go, we shine His light. Isn't it great to go back to the beginning?

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.