Let There Be Light

Can you believe it?  Only 25 days until CHRISTMAS!!!  It's hard to imagine.  Time seems to go by so quickly.  Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent.  We notice this normally by the Hanging of the Greens.  Churches opt to decorate for this Sunday.  But, what does "Advent" mean?  Well, it means "coming".  It refers to the coming of Jesus.  That's what, or rather, who this whole blog is about.  Jesus.  Name above all names.  He brings joy to the whole world.  

Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  What is important about this verse is that Jesus was there in the beginning.  John 1:1-2 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."  Jesus was right there with God the Father when the world was created.  

But then, in Genesis 1:3, God says, "Let there be light..."  Without light the world would have remained dark.  What kind of world would that be?  Can you imagine living in a world of darkness.  If you think about it, our life is nothing but darkness until we receive Jesus in our life.  Without God, our life doesn't have purpose.  It's just dark and without meaning.  When we give ourselves to Christ, we find our purpose, to Glorify Him.  

Have you ever heard the Christmas song "Let There Be Light".  If you haven't, take a listen.  And, if you have, listen to it again.  This season, Let There Be Light in your life.  

Let There Be Light by Point of Grace

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Creation

It's been a few days since I've blogged.  We've been on vacation.  I'll blog about that in the days to come.  But, since returning I want to start on Genesis.  I'm going to talk about Genesis 1 & 2 today.  This is the story of creation.  We've heard the story of creation so many times before.  But, maybe we can gain something out of if anyway.  

The word "Genesis" actually means "beginning" or "the origin or mode of formation of something."  It tells us in Genesis 1:1 that "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  That means there was nothing to begin with.  It was void.  Picture an artist with a blank canvas, starting with just a blank white surface.  

When I read the creation story, I picture God as the master artist.  He started with a blank canvas.  His first creation was the heavens and the earth.  This would mean the creation of the galaxies.  All the stars and planets that we see today.  There are millions of them.  Then he created the earth. He designed the world in which we live.  It's immaculate and complex.  It was dark.  So, he created light, the sun, moon & stars.    Isn't it marvelous?  And, what is more amazing it is that He just spoke the words and it came to be.  Days, nights, weeks, months, seasons, years.  We are soon approaching fall.  Things will pass away and go into hibernation for the coming winter months.  Then, spring will come and bring everything new again.  He then created the "firmament."  Well, that's just another word for our atmosphere that creates the perfect conditions for vegetation to grow.   He separated the land from the sea and created vegetation.  He created the creatures of the land and sea.  He created us. 

Genesis 2:7 says this:  "then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature."  Have you ever wondered why he created us?  Well, I believe that He created us specifically to have a relationship with Him.  He created us to LOVE us.  He created us in His image.  You want relationship with others.  If we are in His image, it begs to reason that He wants us to have a relationship with Him.   Have you ever wondered what it was like there in the Garden of Eden?  I can only imagine that God, Adam & Eve spent a lot of time together.  Relationship.  That's the reason, I believe, that God created this world.  Yet, we deny Him this relationship with us.  We have other things that seem to take priority over our lives:  a child's ballgame, the shopping mall, a television show, the list could go on and on.  How about, today, make God your priority.  He created us for this purpose.  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful creation we call earth.  Thank you for creating me to have a relationship with you.  Forgive me, Father, for those times when I have placed greater importance on things other than you.  Help create a desire in my heart to spend more time with you.  In Jesus name, Amen.