Beginnings: Created by God and for GodSample

Many books, movies, poems, and speeches are famous for their opening lines. I’m guessing that when I say the phrase, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . .” you immediately think of Star Wars. Or when I say the line, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation . . .” you recognize it as President Lincoln’s opening line to the Gettysburg Address, one of the most important speeches in American history. Opening lines set the context. They help the audience know where the story is going. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, opening lines of a story help the reader understand the magnitude of what is about to be discussed. The God of the universe—who exists in eternity and has no beginning or ending—entered into the space and time of human history with these attention-grabbing words: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). These opening words of Scripture convey the scene at the dawn of creation where we first encounter an eternal God hovering over a formless expanse. There was nothing—except God. The writers of Scripture continually described God as “the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 146:6). The authors point to this truth more than 100 times in the Bible. The church made a similar claim in its earliest creeds. The Apostles’ Creed begins with these words: “I believe in God the Father, Almighty Maker of heaven and earth.” The early church understood that a foundational claim of the Christian faith rests on the fact that the God we worship made all that exists. His creation is grand because it’s a reflection of his character. In fact, as the following passage relates, creation is meant to point back to the Creator and declare his excellence. > The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. > For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. > Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. > Romans 1:18-25 The psalmist wrote, “May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works—he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke” (Psalm 104:31–32). Our world doesn’t talk a lot about glory (at least, not rightly), but it’s a concept we intuitively understand. Glory should capture our attention, cause us to gasp in awe, and overwhelm us with beauty or intricacy. There’s no real earthly comparison for God’s glory. Even the first glimpse of a bride on her wedding day, the feeling you get when you stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon, or the view of the sun dipping below the horizon are nothing compared to the glory of God. Everything God made—all rolled into one big package—testifies to the glory of who he is. That’s the point of creation—to inspire awe at the glory of the Creator. You’ve probably had an experience like this at some point in your life. Maybe you were staring up at a star-filled sky or walking the shore of the beach. Deep inside, you were gripped by a sense of something bigger, more profound, and more powerful than you could see with your eyes. This “something” wasn’t actually a thing but a person. It was God. And it’s this God—the Maker of the heavens and earth—who is pursuing you with his love. He has promised that a day is coming when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). The waters cover the sea completely—there’s no part of the sea not covered by water. Such will be true of our world. Currently, the glory of God is on display in his created world, though many fail to recognize him as the Creator. One day, there will be no mistaking his glory. It will be clearly seen and known throughout his world. We live in a time when sin and brokenness seem to prevail—but this is the time before God’s glory will be seen by everyone. Respond Describe God’s creation. Describe God’s glory. Prayer Magnificent God, may I see your glory in everything around me—your creation.