Creation

The story of God begins with the first verse of the first book of the bible, Genesis:

    "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Is this the beginning of God?  The Hebrew meaning of the word “beginning” here refers to the beginning of creation.  You see, throughout the bible, every writer understands God to be a being who has no beginning or end.  He is not a created being, but the creator of all things.

One thing we have learned from anthropology is that every people group and every culture since the beginning of record keeping has had this innate drive to believe in “god” and to look for something outside of themselves that is far greater and bigger than them.  The Egyptians… Greeks… Romans…

What does this tell us?  It might tell us that the One who created us put within us a compass to direct us to our creator.  And the human experience tends to be the same – to have a quest to find and connect with what the bible calls “god.”

Many civilizations have had multiple gods because they realized life was so complicated and complex that they needed many gods to help them.

The first two chapters of Genesis in the bible take the time to share the story of God creating the universe – from the sun, to the stars, to the earth, to vegetation, to animals and to us as humans.  The point of this story isn’t to tell how God created it all, but rather that one God did all of this – and a little bit about that one God.

These first two chapters are only the beginning of the story… Think of them as God introducing Himself.

Think about a time when you first met someone important in your life – your spouse… a good friend…the birth of your children.  The introduction is only the beginning to what would be a much bigger and grander experience with them in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

Some may be asking, “How do we know God really exists?”

The beginning of this story is an introduction to God.  You know, sometimes we meet people and wonder, “Are they for real?”  Sometimes we find them really strange and corky.  Other times, it’s like, “they are too good to be true.”

Many people who have said, “God seems really weird” by what they read in the bible or through going to church.  But some of those same people who thought God was weird came to say later,” He was the best and most real thing they had ever known in their lives.”

So, how do we know God exists?   He can’t be proven through our five senses, if that is what you are looking for.

You may want to stop here and read: Hebrew 11:1-6

Almost every person in the bible when God first approached them wondered if He was real – Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Peter to name a few.

But here is what they all had in common – they were willing to be open and give this God found in Genesis a chance to show Himself to be true in their lives.

You see, God’s story only matters if He is real.  If He is a fairy tale or myth, then the only story you should write is your own.

Some have said, “Just because the bible says God is real doesn’t really make Him real?”

Agreed!  Most people are in one of the following three categories:

• People who have chosen not to believe that God is real [atheists]

• People who know God is real with all of their hearts [true believers]

• People who continue to have the thought, “Is God real?” [seekers]

While God may not provide the kind of tangible proof we are looking for that He is the designer and creator of the world we live in, He has given us some evidence of His reality. His word is one form of that evidence.  Another is life experience.  Between these two sources, many people have reached the conclusion – at least beyond a reasonable doubt – that He exists and that it is God who is telling His story through creation and people’s lives.

You see, there are many things we believe everyday that we have not smelled, touched, seen, tasted or heard.

If you are reading this today you probably didn’t actually see the Civil War or hear Lincoln’s famous address.  But you probably believe it happened based on the historical evidence that has been provided.  God, in the same way, has provided historical evidence.  He doesn’t ask us to believe blindly.  Rather He asks us to think, ponder, observe and study both the bible and our world so we can make a reasonable decision as to whether God is the creator of our world or not.

Just as in a courtroom, a jury wasn’t there to witness the crime firsthand, but what do they do?  They weigh the evidence, and then determine what happened.  And what they determine happens often determines the life and future of another human being.

You see, God is writing His story.  And He is inviting us to weigh the evidence.  To determine if, beyond a reasonable doubt, that He is real.

Some may say, “Why doesn’t God just come down and show Himself fully?”  Some would argue He has in the Person of Jesus Christ and in the reading of the Gospels.

But I would ask something different – why don’t you do that in your relationships?  Why don’t you show others everything about you?  Why do you hold some things back?  Why do you hide your feelings?  Why don’t you tell everything about yourself, even to those you are closest to?

Because relationships don’t work this way!   Isn’t it true that the best people in your life, you knew very little about when you first met them.  They didn’t tell you everything, did they?  In fact, isn’t it also true, even if you have known people or been married to someone for a long time, there is a lot you still don’t know.  There is still some mystery in your relationships. That is what makes relationships with other people more than knowing facts.  This is what makes relationships exciting and adventurous.  It is this adventure or mystery that makes us curious and always wanting to learn new things about the people we love on a daily basis?

If we are made in the image of God, couldn’t this also be true of God?

May want to stop here and read: Romans 1:20

You see, God maybe hasn’t given us all we want, but He has given us just enough to where we can make a reasonable, thought-out decision about Him.  And it is true, people everywhere have the same evidence and some decide to believe and live their life’s journey in God’s bigger story; while others decide based on the same evidence to write only their own stories.

Take some time to ponder these questions:

• How does it change your life if God has created you rather than you just randomly appearing here on earth?

• Where does your life and journey fit into God’s bigger story?