“In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1 AMP
“My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery]. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.”
Psalm 139:15-16 AMP
“Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
Grace Perspective:
In the beginning, God, Elohim (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) created the heavens and the earth. Our world was created out of a dark void. Like a beautiful symphony blending melody and harmony with each note precisely timed, Elohim formed the heavens, the earth, the seas, all the animals, and His most precious creation, humans. (Read all of Genesis 1 & 2).
God was also at the “beginning” of each of us. The LORD formed each of us, and every moment of our lives is written in His book. He created us in a secret place, knowing everything about us from our first breath to our last breath.
God is also present when we become a “new creation” in Christ Jesus. He wants each of us to have a new beginning, to be set free from sin that separates us from receiving the fullness of His mercy and love. Back in the Garden of Eden, not long after the world was formed, sin slithered into the hearts of Adam and Eve and brought death. But God had a plan to restore life to each of us through His Son, Jesus Christ the Messiah. Once we receive the gift of salvation in Him, the old us that rebelled against God is covered with the precious blood of Jesus that gives us a gracious new beginning.
A Touch of Grace:
What do you know about the beginning of creation?
What does it mean for you to become a new creation in Christ Jesus?
What area of your life needs a new beginning or fresh start?
Grace Application:
Every story has a beginning, including His story or history. God has always been and will always be…heady thought that is too much for me to comprehend (especially without a strong cup of tea); however, the Bible describes in detail how our world began.
Take a few moments to ponder what it must have been like to see the heavens, earth, seas, and all they contain formed from the darkness. What was it like when God separated the heavens from the earth? What did the sun look like when it first began to shine? Were the stars more brilliant as they first started to sparkle? What did the first trees and flowers look like? How about the animals? What did they think about the home God made for them? And how about Adam and Eve? What were their thoughts as they walked through the Garden of Eden with God? Would you have liked to be a bird listening to their first impressions? What would you have thought if you were there at the beginning of the world?
How about your beginning? God was present when He formed you. He carefully designed each particle that makes you distinctly you. Yes, we all grumble at times about how He created us (let’s be honest, all of us struggle with some part of how we are made). Yet, He purposefully made us exactly as we are. (Yep, even our hair color and texture) He wrote every day of our lives in His book and knows everything about us; as scary as that sounds, He knows and loves us exactly as we are.
He formed us and planned each day of our lives, knowing if we would receive the gift of gracious salvation or reject it and live apart from Him. He wants us to have a new beginning, to become a new creation in Christ with the old sinful self buried under the rubble of the past. We can begin again with the help of the Holy Spirit. He wants us to experience a new life in Christ Jesus, with a fresh new perspective of who He is and what He has done for us. We can’t go back and undo the past, but in Christ Jesus, we have the opportunity of a new gracious beginning. With the New Year upon us, let’s start with a heart that seeks the Lord and draw closer to Him to see what He will do. We all need a fresh start in some area of our lives, where will your new beginning be?
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to You in the precious name of Jesus Christ, in awe of You thinking about how You formed the world and all it contains. You have always been and will always be. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Your ways are so much more than I can comprehend, yet You took time to form me, specifically for Your purposes. Forgive me for the times I grumble and complain about how You created me. Thank You for making me a new creation in Christ Jesus, for giving me a new beginning. Help me not to squander this fresh start and help me to live a life that is focused on You. Today, I choose to rest in and celebrate Your goodness, greatness, kindness, and graciousness. Help me to do so every day moving forward. Amen**Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know for sure you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubts, please call out to God so that all doubt is erased. Today is a good day to be assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**