Greetings! Good morning on this Thursday. It’s a blessing for me to be with you as we work through the Scripture in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re starting a new series, “Begin with Basics”. We’re beginning with a most “basic” verse and truth in the Bible, “In the Beginning, God…” (Genesis 1:1).
As you know Thursday is a pivotal day in our process. It’s the day we take all our notes, reflections and prayers and seek to discern a “message moving in their midst”. In a way it reminds me of Genesis 1:2 where things are without form and God’s Spirit hovers over the face of the deep. In the midst of this formlessness God moves and works. Creation begins. Our creative process relies upon that same moving of the Spirit working in our minds and hearts.
So as you look at your musings and meditations what message is emerging for you?
Here are “talking points” about Sunday’s message for me:
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Doomed from the start”. Could the opposite also be true? Can we be “Blessed from the beginning”? If we start right, can things go better and if things go better can they finish well?
This message takes that question and makes it an exclamation! Rather than “If”, it is more a matter of “When”. When we start right, things go better and when things go better we can finish well. The critical key is “starting right”. We as people of faith have a great place to start, “In the beginning, God.”
Why do I believe “when we start right, things go better and when things go better we can finish well?” I believe that truth because of the Bible. The Bible is a story written by many authors, in many genres, in several languages, across many centuries. In the midst of this diversity, there is a unifying story. The Bible is the story of salvation. As we read about the people they have their Ups and Downs (mostly related to when they have been faithful or forgetful of God), but things go better when they are with God and you know things are going to “finish well” because of where the story starts – “In the beginning, God.”
The Good News is that the Bible’s story is our story as believers. Our lives also have their Ups and Downs. But we know things go better and finish well when we start right, when we begin with God.
This is true for all our beginnings. And our lives are full of beginnings. Each day, every week, turn the calendar page for this month, begin a new school year, as you think about it you can supply even more “beginnings” that happen for you. How do you turn those beginnings into blessings? Practice “In the beginning, God.”
My heart is heavy that there are some who can’t affirm “In the beginning God”. Atheists and agnostics each have their reasons. But my heart is even heavier when we who can make that affirmation forget “In the beginning, God” and we forfeit the grace that truth brings into our daily living.
So let us practice that faith: Begin each week with worship, each day with prayer, and each meal with saying grace. Start our work, whether that be at home with family or at our workplace (virtual or office) with a dedication – “Lord, my best for Your best. Let me be the blessing you would have me to be for others”. Enter the School Year with a Blessing of the Backpacks and a prayer for our students, teachers, and families.
And while we’re starting right, take time to “sprinkle in” an “I love you!” in what you say and in how your serve. Do this with Jesus, with your family and friends, even under your breath with those you have a hard time with. Do this because “God is love”. Do this because to practice love is to affirm God’s presence and bring a fresh beginning into any relationship.
Around the church we pray a lot! We start meetings, meals, and classes with prayer. We begin with prayer so often, in fact, that sometimes it seems “customary”. We don’t pray because it’s “customary”, we pray because it’s critical. We pray knowing that all that follows in the meeting, the meal or whatever gathering we’re part of, flows from beginning with God. We do it because we know when we start right things go better and when things go better we will finish well. We do it because, “In the beginning, of all things, God…”
These are my thoughts. Of course on Sunday I’ll expand on them with some illustrations. But this is the basic message.
What are your thoughts? What is God’s message to you from Genesis 1:1? Make sure you write your message down. It is a blessing God provides that will guide you.
I’m glad to have this time with you. Now, I’ll let you get to work in your own spiritual workshop. I know God’s Spirit will “hover over” and bless you with a “new creation” as you begin with God.
In that faith, I’ll see you again on Saturday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the gift of this day. Thank you for the blessing of creative time with You. Thank you for the moving of Your Spirit and the inspiration of Your Scripture. Thank you for the Biblical story of salvation and how that story is our story as we affirm, “In the beginning of all our beginnings, God.” As we start right today let us know that You go with us and whatever happens it will finish well because of Your love. We give You our thanks for this blessing of fresh and new beginnings through Jesus Christ our Lord.