Today’s scripture: Genesis 1 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
Today, we begin a journey through the Book of Genesis. It was common in the ancient world to call a book by its first significant words. For Genesis, this would be “In The Beginning” or the Hebrew word “Bereshit.” “Genesis,” from the old Greek translation, means “origin” or “birth,” the word for the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. The focus of much of Genesis is on genealogical origin, keeping in line with these translations handed down through time. Let’s begin!
I love Genesis 1. It reminds me just how much larger God is than anything I can imagine. While it can be easy to put God in a box and keep God contained to my way of thinking, Genesis 1 blows up that box.
Some people think I can be a “little” nerdish, so let me prove them right. When I was growing up, I loved school. I loved all subjects. But when I was in junior high school, now called middle school, I was especially in love with math and science. I remember taking geometry and being able to use my mind to think of things I never would have imagined. I wanted to be an architect when I was younger, and it allowed me to start looking at the way things could be drawn. And when I took physics and calculus, it helped me to understand how all of it would work, with the various loading and forces, and the strength of the materials needed. It took me from simple arithmetic to thinking outside that box, into the larger world of math and science.
This is what Genesis 1 does for me. God is so awesome. I like how creation may be explained in a few simple words in the Bible, even poetic. As we figure out what it all means and the science behind it, God gives us the awesome task of increasing our minds of knowledge and science, not just for the benefit of knowing them, but also in helping us understand God better. When I say understanding God better, I mean, understanding that God is so much larger than I used to think. Yes, I can see God’s character in the Bible, but I don’t have all the answers as to why things happen in the world. I wish I did, and sometimes I think I do, but I really don’t.
God gave us rational minds, not to lay dormant, but to use them to help us grow and experience life, which is experiencing God. I want to always live like that. God, help me keep chasing after you. Jesus came and gave us that light. I don’t ever want mine to go out.
Thought for the day: Keep chasing after God. How large has God grown in your life?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.