“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
Dear saint, become as a child and this evening let the wonder of Genesis 1:1 be your last thought.
Speaker: Tim Maxwell
As many of you know I was a children’s pastor for over 20 years. As the Lord had it, my Cindy and I traveled to many places in the U.S. and abroad to minister to children. It was a great joy to teach the children on account that they were ready to receive simple truths of God without so much as an objection. One didn’t even have to try to convince the children. If you loved them, they were convinced. They have such wonderfully open and uncluttered minds just waiting to have treasures deposited in them. It is no wonder that Jesus said, “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all." (cf. Mark 10:15)
Of course with the children the message we presented was the basic gospel of Jesus Christ. As we traveled we would present a three night program. The first night we would teach that “God is the Life Giver”; the second night that “Sin is the life taker”; and the third night that “Jesus is the Life Saver.”
We always began by teaching God to be the Creator who gave us life. Therefore, we belong to Him. The precious little children would listen as we told the story of creation. Those beautiful souls would sit attentively as their eyes gleamed with wonder. As I am sure you have already guessed the memory verse for the first lesson was Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” We would assure the children that God gave them life and that their life belonged to Him, and that He so loved and cared for them that He gave His Son Jesus for their everlasting life. Also, we taught the children that when they went to bed they could rest securely knowing that because God is the Creator and Life Giver they are in His perfect care.
With so much that demands our attention, and with our lives being so complex, it’s good to be like a child in our Father’s arms finding calm and rest in biblical basics. And the first verse of the Bible is a great foundational basic to remember.
Perhaps when reading the Bible we tend to pass over this first line quickly rather than thinking upon it and considering our great God and the commanding implications of this truth. That first line is like a powerful explosion of truth that, rather than disrupting our life, comforts the soul, laying heart and mind to rest. How calming it is to place one’s head on the pillow with this simply-worded but massively profound verse in mind.
Have you meditated on this first line of the Bible? If so, dear saint, what more do you need to know? Isn’t this enough? What else will secure your faith in God? Do you need Him to display Himself in some other way when you know that He created you and His glory and care is constantly and radically displayed ‘round about you?
I don’t mean to be unacceptably simplistic or childish, but with all we already know of the Lord through His Written Word and knowing that God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to save us from sin and death to Himself and life everlasting, and that not only does He save us but He causes us to persevere, there is great comfort to be found in going back to remember the very first line of the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Every word is rich and true!
With what you know, this little phrase is enough for you to lay your head on the pillow in peace. These words of God are enough for you to look forward to tomorrow with hope and expectancy. While perhaps more dollars in your bank account may help you in the moment, this verse provides greater security than any amount of earthly riches.
Dear saint, become as a child and this evening let the wonder of Genesis 1:1 be your last thought. Let the powerful words calm your COVID19-wearied soul. Let this unchanging truth still your political anxiety. Let these resounding words dissolve your societal concerns. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
