Genesis 1 Matthew 1 Ezra 1
Genesis 1
Martin Luther called the first chapters of Genesis “the foundation of the whole of scripture”. This is certainly true of Genesis 1 which addresses the ultimate question “where did we all come from?”. The answer is there right at the start in Vs 1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” What follows is a beautifully crafted hymn of creation where on each of the six days God speaks to initiate a new creative act and reviewing His handiwork “God saw that is was good”. (Not perfect, by the way; you might like to chew over what the difference is!). After day six there is the triumphant climax “God saw ALL that he had made, and it was VERY GOOD.” By using such a literary style the eternal truths that God wishes us to learn are expressed in a way that transcends time and culture. We can put aside any differences we may have about the “Big Bang” and evolution and rejoice that we do not live in a meaningless universe arising by chance but rather one brought into being by a creator. As architect and workman God created a universe out of nothing that is ordered in space and time and intrinsically good. And amazingly He has given us, men and women made in his image, the privilege and responsibility of being stewards of His creation (vs 28). Let these words inspire you today and rejoice with the Psalmist that “The Heavens declare the glory of the Lord” (Ps 19:1). You may also wish to meditate on Jesus as the Word of God who speaks into creation (e.g. Jn 1: 1-3; Col
(1st-7th Jan - reflections by member of the congregation)