Today, though, I wanted to start off this year with a Sunday praise. I have started reading through the Bible in a year with my sister's church. It is exciting and so far, I've kept up with it. It's so interesting to read passages I've read many times before and see something new in them. Her pastor goes over them each Sunday and Wednesday and I watch his messages on YouTube.
So when I saw the topic for today's lesson, I knew I had to share it with you. What better time to start anew and look at Creation.
GOD MADE EVERYTHING
Before the world came into being, God was, for He has no beginning or end. His Spirit hovered over a dark, formless, and empty place. God said, "Let there be light!" Light sprang into being at the sound of His voice. God divided the light from the darkness. He named the light "day," and He called the darkness "night." Evening and morning, day one ended.
God said, "Let a dome appear in the middle of the waters." A vast blue vault appeared in the midst of the waters. God called it "sky." Evening and morning, day two ended.
God said, "Let the waters gather together and dry land appear." The land and the seas obeyed God's voice, but the land was empty and brown. "Let there be grass, flowers, and trees to cover the land." Green grass unfurled. Colorful flowers bloomed. Trees stood tall and straight. God saw what He had done, and it was good. Evening and morning, day three ended.
God said, "Let there be two lights to mark time and days, seasons and years. A greater one shall rule the day and the lesser shall reign over the night." Sun and moon appeared in the sky, and God sprinkled the universe with twinkling stars. God saw it was good. Evening and morning, day four ended.
God said, "Let there be life in the sea and the skies." A flurry of feathered birds filled the sky with color and song. Fish, lobsters, and clams teemed in the waters of the sea. God saw it was good. Evening and morning, day five ended.
God said, "Let animals of all kinds fill the land." Creatures formed at the sound of God's voice. Some were large and powerful like elephants and crocodiles. Others were small and delicate like squirrels and frogs. They filled the vast and empty land. Yet God wanted one more creation to rule over all the others. He said, "Let us make mankind in our own image." He created a man and a woman and spoke to them and said, "Fill the earth with children. Rule over all the animals and birds and fish. All of this wonderful world that I have made, I give into your care." God saw the heaven and earth He had created, and it was good. Evening and morning, day six ended.
With His work complete, God rested on the seventh day and blessed it.
Where is the best place to begin reading a book? At the beginning of course. At the beginning of the Bible it tells about the beginning of our world.
What is nothing? That is a hard thing to describe, isn't it? Anything you can think of to describe nothing is something. Darkness. Emptiness. Our minds can't seem to wrap around "nothing." But the Bible tells us that was all there was. We as humans are creative beings. But we cannot create something out of nothing. Even right now we are reading this on something. And I am writing these words on something.
But God merely spoke and something came from nothing. How powerful God is! And then, because God is so powerful, He told His creation what to do. Sun -- you shine during the day. Plants -- you grow for food. And even today, thousands of years later, God's world still obeys His voice.
A new year is an exciting time. A new beginning. A new chance at things. I pray that this will be a good year for all of us.
Back as soon as I can to continue to catch you up.
See you then.
Kathy
