In (the) beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God call the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day (emphasis mine). Genesis 1:1-5

Last month’s letter concluded with a question for you: “Have you answered the question, ‘Who is this man (Jesus)?’” Have you?

Incredibly, by the time you will be reading this, some schools will be back in session and others will not be far behind. It will be a time to celebrate those “first days” of the new school year.

The author of Genesis writes to celebrate God’s activity of creation not to explain the details of how He made it. God is transcendent. “In (the) beginning, God,” creation from nothing.

I’d like to observe three things, and the amazing hope found in these verses:

1. First is the incredible pronouncement of faith, “In the beginning, God . . .” God who is without beginning and without end, was there at the beginning creating. It was by His hand that from nothing everything was spoken into being. When we profess our faith in God, we are acknowledging our place in God’s creation. We acknowledge our place as His creation, and despite all of our recalcitrant self-assertions about how great we are, it is God who is the Alpha and the Omega.
2. The second is that in a place without form and washed in darkness, the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters—waiting. Expecting that which was to come. We too can draw from this sense of expectancy—a hope for something more.
3. Third is the “simple” command—“let there be light”—and light appeared. Remember, light travels at 186,000 miles per second. And in one year light travels approximately 6 trillion miles. 6 trillion! God spoke the command, and it came into being!

Having observed the expectancy that comes when we’re waiting for God to move in a certain situation, and
seeing what amazing things happen when God acts, can we not look beyond our own situations with a great sense of hope for that which is to come despite our present circumstances?

The first verses of Genesis end with these amazing words— “the first day.” Think about that! The “first day” is something for which all of us secretly pine. We sense that in the “first day” – whatever is, was, or could ever be - is the day without regrets, without bad memories, without anything that could sully the moment. Instead, the “first day” is loaded simply with promise for what yet may be. When:

• Everything seemed possible
• Life together is all future oriented with no baggage from the past

Remember these things:

• “In the beginning, God . . .” God is the beginning of everything.
• With the promise of God, we live with a sense of expectancy no matter what.
• Remember the awesomeness of God’s creative action. It was by His hand that everything came into being including you. Put your hand over your heart. Feel that? That’s God. And He created you because He wanted to have a relationship with you.

Lastly, remember the promise of the “first day.” Remember the hope that comes in living like each day is the “first day.” No doubt life throws many curves and hardships our way, and it might seem that life is full of nothing but chaos. We might feel abandoned. We might even be angry. But in those dark hours when you feel overwhelmed by that which you’re facing and life descends into chaos try praying a “Genesis One Prayer:”

“Lord, in the beginning You brought order out of chaos. Do it again!”