Start at the beginning

The preacher kept his promise.  He said he was going to begin at the beginning.  Then he read aloud, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  Genesis 1:1

From that point, the listeners were enthralled with his description of creation and how God formed everything from nothing.  He created the galaxies.  He put things in motion.  The laws of nature were in place.

Then there was a question presented, which asked us to think a bit.  He wanted to know if we really believed a God who could bring everything into being, would also have the power to maintain control?  That was followed by another revealing statement.....revealing how we are sometimes different when we say we really believe, then try to take control ourselves.

The Apostle Paul was a believer, just like you and me.   He must have been addressing these same issues when we wrote to the Colossian Christians.

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:15-20

Why do we read the Bible?  For learning, for life application, to prove we are right and everyone else is wrong, for answering difficult questions?  Whatever the reason, we are missing the point if we fail to see the message of the Bible is God's love story for us.  Yes, there are commandments, admonitions, difficult passages, and even a few things we feel should have been left out.  But overall, cover to cover, this is the story of how much God loves YOU!

Even when dealing with those whose lives were unfaithful and disobedient, our loving God was and is working to bring us to himself.  The things we have done that are outside his will, are forgiven in the blood of Christ.   It's hard for us to understand how God would be willing to give his only son to save the likes of a sinner like me, or us, but that is exactly the beauty of the love story.

Remember, he is still in control.  He created us and longs for us to be in relationship with him.

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