BEGIN WITH THE WORD (2)

“THEN GOD SAID, “Let there be light”; and there was light” – Genesis 1:3

The choice to BEGIN with THE WORD is a crucial principle of Scripture: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. THEN GOD SAID, “Let there be light”; and there was light” (Gen.1:1-3). Each day of creation began with the WORD: “Then God said…” (vv.3, 6, 9, 11, 14). In between the “God said” were the “God called…” (vv.5, 8, 10). Creation’s Story would be incomplete without the Word!

Today marks the first work day of the first week in the New Year! Creation was the first work and prototype for all other forms of human work.  God’s created universe provides the resources of time, space, matter and energy for other forms of human enterprise. God began His work with the Word. Wisdom demands that we follow His footsteps. As we watch God work, we learn how He intends us to work – with the Word.

God worked to create the world, by speaking His Word – “God said…” – and everything began to take shape. The writer of Hebrews puts it succinctly: “By faith we understand that the WORLDS were FRAMED BY the WORD of GOD, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb.11:3). By Faith, we also can FRAME our WORLDS by GOD’S WORD! God’s Power in His Word is more than able to uphold and sustain the structure and fabric of our world: “Upholding ALL THINGS by the WORD of HIS POWER” (Heb.1:3).

God, by the Power of His Word, is in absolute control of His creation, including our lives, we being part of the work of His Hand (Isa.64:8). God’s Power is vivid in creation. He spoke worlds into existence and put power to productive and orderly use; each day, beginning with His Word. We need never worry that God could run out of gas or that His creation could degenerate into a precarious state. He is robustly in charge. He spoke and things materialised that were not there before. Creation is His work, not an accident, mistake, or chance happening.

The creation story is an excellent demonstration and glorious display of Divine Order. Nothing was haphazard. We see God speaking Order into chaos: “When God began creating the heavens and the earth, the earth was a shapeless, chaotic mass, with the Spirit of God brooding over the dark vapors. Then God said, “Let there be light.” And light appeared (Gen.1:1-3, Living Bible). By His Word-initiated work, the Lord transformed the shapeless, chaotic mass of Genesis 1:2 into vibrant habitats and supportive environments for plants, fishes, birds, animals, and human beings. On the Seventh Day He rested, not because He gets tired and needs to be restored, but simply to leave us a pattern.

While human creation climaxed God's creative work, resting on the seventh day climaxed His creative week (Gen.2: 1-3). As we set out to play our part in God’s continuing work of creation, may we learn to follow His Pattern, choosing to BEGIN with THE WORD, and witness Him transform every shapeless, chaotic mass, into bright, vibrant habitats and supportive environments around us, in Jesus’ Name!