Beginnings part 3
Yesterday we looked at Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning..." How in the beginning of your story, God created... you. And how even though you were dark and void and without form, the Spirit hovered over the face of the deep. God knew who you were even when you didn't. And He said, "Let there be light" in order to reveal Himself to you. So that you could see Him clearly, and in so doing, see yourself clearly. Because who we really are is who we are in Christ. Who Christ is in us. Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. So today we will look at John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and teh Word was with God, and the Word was God." And just so we're completely sure about what we're talking about, "Word," is number 3056 in Strong's Greek Concordance and it means, "something said (including the thought); by implication a topic, also reasoning or motive; specifically the Divine Expression (that is, Christ)." The Word is Jesus. The Word is love. In the beginning was love. And love was with God. And love was God. That's always my focus when I read the Bible--new OR old testament. Where's Jesus? Where's the love? Because to me, that's all that matters. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, right? The beginning and the end. LOVE is the alpha and omega. LOVE is the beginning and the end. Look at John 1:3, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." All things were made by love. Without love was not anything made that was made. My pastor always talks about purpose. How we were made by purpose, for purpose, and on purpose. And that has a different meaning in each of our individual lives. For me, my purpose is taking care of my son, and writing. That's who I am. But in a more universal sense we all have the same purpose: To be loved by God and to love Him back by loving each other. To obey the New Commandment, which is to love one another as Jesus loves us. To receive and release His love. To receive it BY releasing it. To guard our hearts--by keeping them open--and let love in... and let love out. That's our purpose. That's why we were created. Nothing was made that wasn't made by love. For love. Because of love. That's the beginning of our story. God--who IS love--wanted to express Himself. So He spoke. And if you notice, "Word" means motive. Which is to say, love doesn't HAVE a motive. Love IS the motive. God was motived by love to create something that He could love. To express Himself to us, and in us, and through us, and as us. To give us something. His Spirit. Himself. His Son. So that we might know ourselves AS His Son(s). That was Plan A. Right from the beginning. And God never needed a Plan B. Love never fails. Love feeds on itself (Himself) and grows and grows like a Holy Ghost wildfire. Burning out of control. Consuming everything in its (HIS) path. Consuming everything except itself (Himself). But what I'm trying to say for today is... your story is a love story. It started with love. And, if you'll behold what manner of love it is, you'll see that not only did it start with love, but its just love, love, love throughout the whole never-ending story! An abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of Love!