So goes chapter 1, verse 1, of the Book of Genesis.  What follows these four words is a description of what God did in 8 creative acts over a period of 6 days.  It is a magnificent description of God creating the earth and everything within it out of nothing.  This part of the Book of Genesis is a profound theological statement of how all things began in an orderly manner.  As we enter the New Year, I believe we are invited by God to spend time pondering, praying about, and turning to our creative God.  More on this in a moment.

I think it is important to remember that the beginning verses of Genesis are theological and never were intended by the writers to be an exact scientific description of creation.  If we allow them to, however, science and theology, in fact, work in tandem when it comes to the creation story.  God is the creator and science has helped to fill in a few of the blanks as to how God’s creative process unfolded over time.  As I see things, science helps us with the “what” and faith based theology leads us to “why.” But regardless of the timeline of the “what”, it is God who started it all, God who oversees it all, and God who created order out of chaos.  

“In the beginning God.”  As I reflect upon these words, it strikes me that they may serve as the basis of empowering mantras with which to live each day.  These words, if we allow them to, help to refocus our attention and enable us to live lives grounded upon our creator.   What if throughout the course of each day we were to prayerfully say things to ourselves like the following?

“As I begin this day, God….   As I prepare for work today, God…  As I think about how to approach this problem today, God…  Before I go to this meeting, God…  As I dial this number to have this conversation, God…  When all the possibilities of how this might go enter my mind, God…  As this transition unfolds, God… When I have to say goodbye, God… With this new…God…”

How we complete each of these statements and others like them is for each of us to work out with the help of God.  As our creator, I believe God invites us to intentionally turn to God with all new beginnings from the small to the large. To focus upon him when something different is about to unfold or we are uncertain how to approach a person, situation, or relationship.  

God never intended for God’s creation to be separate from God, nor does God ever want us to try and live each day and move through the challenges in front of us without God.  Instead, God wants us to remember that God is there at the beginning of all things, in the midst of all things, and at the conclusion of all things.  

“In the beginning, God…”  Indeed these are some of the most encouraging words to be found anywhere and remind me of what God said to Joshua just before he led the Israelites into the Promised Land.  God said to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified.  Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:9)  Because Joshua remembered that God was with him as he began the journey across the Jordan River, Joshua had the strength and determination to bring about a new era for humankind.