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Daily Devotion: Genesis 1:1-3

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Genesis 1:1-3    "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  (2)  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  (3)  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

Some days, I find it difficult to have a beginning point. Today, I surely have that beginning place because we saw it yesterday... "In the beginning God..."  I think it is important to be reminded that God is God without any outside help or assistance. That might sound so elementary and yet it seems the reminder is in order. May I say that God does not need me, nor you, for anything.  Our belonging to the family of God did not increase His value nor ability in any manner.

The opposite side of that picture is that without God, we have no ability whatsoever.  I take the words of Jesus very literally: "... without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5) We can see a picture of this in the very first part of creation. "The earth was without form, and void."  It is my experience that without God, my life is very empty.  I can look back and see how there was no form, nor order, in my life before God shined into my heart. My life was filled with darkness. I could do nothing.

But then....But then, "The Spirit of God moved..."  Everything about my life that is profitable in the kingdom of God is due to the fact that the Spirit of God first moved in my life. He came to me and replaced emptiness with purpose. He replaced my inability with a zeal and determination to be a light in the world. The Spirit of God came into my life and replaced that cold, stony heart with one that is filled with His love for me and created a love for Him within me. Yes, I owe everything that I am to the blessed grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  My hope of eternity in the glory of heaven is based upon the work of redemption which was accomplished by Jesus on the cross.  He turned my darkness into light and I praise Him for His loving kindness.  How about you?

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