Good morning on this fine Monday! I’m glad to begin the week with you in the Scriptures and in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re beginning a new series. It’s entitled “Begin with Basics”. As we begin a new school year (whatever that may look like), as we head from summer and into fall (whatever it may hold), as we plan to reopen our church, community and country (whenever and however that will happen), this series believes there’s no better way to begin than with basics. The premise is: “If we start right, things go better and when things go better, we can finish well”. It all begins with “starting right”.
And what better way to “start right” than with basics from the Bible! And when we’re thinking about basics from the Bible what better place to begin than Genesis. And what better chapter to start with than Genesis 1. Genesis 1 will be the source of our inspiration over the next month. We’ll see what the Spirit “generates out of Genesis” as we explore these verses together!
This week we’ll begin with the very beginning. Genesis 1:1 will be our focus scripture for Sunday. Our emphasis will be on the first phrase, “In the Beginning, God …” We’ll be clarifying that phrase with few words from I John 4:8, “God is love”. Our full Scripture texts for Sunday will be Genesis 1:1-2 and I John 4:7-9.
As always on Monday I invite you to immerse yourself in the Scripture. Read and re-read the texts. Write and re-write the verses. Use several translations. Do your own paraphrase. Even though these texts are short, they are powerful. As you spend time with them they will stimulate some great spiritual mediation for you.
I’m excited about our August series. As we work through “”Begin with Basics” from Genesis 1 we’ll explore: “Starting Right”, “Get Creative”, “Shine a Light”, “Connect with Care” and “Claim Goodness”. I believe God’s Word will lead us forward into a life with the Lord that is so worth living! As the premise goes, “When we start right, things go better and when things go better we can finish well”. It all “Begins with Basics” --- “In the Beginning, God…”
So let’s set off together. I’ll let you get to work. There’s not much to read and write. But there is a lot to think about!
In that blessing I look forward to joining with you tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the gift of a new week. Thank You for the blessing of a new series. Thank You for inspirations from Your Word. Thank You that when we begin with the basics of Your love for us in Jesus Christ, everything goes better and we can live life well. In that gift of Your grace we give You our praise in the name of the Word who was in the beginning and through whom everything was made, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen