In The Beginning…

“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.”
(Genesis 1:1-3)

There is no truth
no reality
no sensibility
no wisdom
that does not begin
with God
speaking creation
into existence.
The existence,
the creating power
of God,
is the ultimate
fact of facts
that gives meaning and
purpose to every other
fact.

You cannot make sense
of your identity
your life
your meaning and
purpose
without starting
at the very beginning
of the beginning
where God formed
all that is with
the word of his power.

Since he made
all that is
he is the rightful owner
of all that is
and has a purpose
for all that he made.

Human independence
human ownership
is a delusion.
We were made
for him
to love him
to serve him
to find all that we are
all that we need
in him.
Without him
we journey
we wander
we run after
the things of
this world
but we come up
hungry
empty
disillusioned
disappointment
wondering
where life
hope
contentment
can be found.

Life is only ever
found
in the existence
glory
and grace of the One
who made it all.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
(John 1:1-5)

God bless,

Paul David Tripp

Reflection Questions

1. When was the last time you marvelled at the creation of God? Did you stand in awe of creation alone, or did you remember that he spoke creation into existence? Why should this cause you to worship?

2. Where does your secular culture find its wisdom? What is its source of truth? What are the results on human sensibility?

3. Consider your life pre-conversion, or during a season of life as a believer when you strayed from the wisdom that comes from God as creator of all that there is. What were the consequences of this life?

4. In what ways might you trying to be your own source of truth today, leaning on your own understanding instead of the Lord’s? In what ways might you be acting as if you are the rightful owner of your body and life’s purpose, disregarding that you were bought with a price? (1 Corinthians 6:20)

5. You could argue that the four most important words in the Bible are the first four: “In the beginning, God…” Likewise, these eight words define Christianity: “For God so loved the world that he gave…” What are some other single phrases or sentences from Scripture that bring hope and joy to you? How often are you preaching these gospel truths to yourself?

6. Are you a student of what secular society believes, so that you can be a better apologist for the Christian faith? How can you engage with a culture that buys into the delusion of human independence?