I am so thankful for a variety of Bible reading plans that, through the motivation of the Holy Spirit, have helped keep me accountable to read through the Scriptures each year for almost two decades. There is an excitement and delight to read through the same texts, year after year, knowing that because the Word is “living and active,” I continue to learn and grow in the grace and knowledge of God. This new year was no different as I opened up my Bible to Genesis 1 and slowly began reading through the chapter. There were three phrases that popped out at me. Three phrases that were repeated multiple times. Three phrases that were so easy to read, I had skipped over the “weight” of them in the past. These three phrases were a part of the foundation of the world, but as I considered the words, I also realized they are the very foundation of our faith and life in the Lord, too. God breathed life into the world…into His creation…with these words, and it is these very words that sustain us now.
- Then God said
- And it was so
- God saw that it was good
THEN GOD SAID
Not only did God speak the world into creation, our God has chosen to communicate with us through words…through the Bible. But do we know what God has said? Do we know who He is, what He has done, and what our response to Him should be? We can only answer this question affirmatively if we are faithfully reading the Word of God for ourselves; if our minds are being renewed and our souls are being fed day in and day out. I think we have grown content listening to and reading what other people have to say about what God has said, but when that is what makes up our primary “diet”, we are stunting our own spiritual growth. It’s like we are sitting in a highchair being spoon-fed some pureed “meat” while the steak dinner sits at the table uneaten.
“How I love your instruction! It is my meditation all day long…I long for your salvation, Lord, and your instruction is my delight.” Psalm 119:97,174
AND IT WAS SO
The joy of knowing what God has said is made complete in knowing that every single word is true! There is “no shadow of turning” found in the pages of Scripture as it relates to His character, His promises and His purposes. God does all that He pleases and will accomplish all that He has determined to do. All His plans are faithful and sure.
“God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, the he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19-20
GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD
God is good. Therefore, all that He does is good. That means that every single thing that happens in our lives, as believers, will be used for our good and to display His goodness. When we look at our lives…. maybe it is something painful we just experienced, or a current situation that is bringing us suffering and heartache…it’s hard to believe this truth. It doesn’t feel good and, oftentimes, we don’t get to immediately see the good it produces. But the reality of God’s goodness in our lives should bring us the greatest of hope because we can trust what God has said and promised even when we cannot see or do not fully understand.
“Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.” Psalm 23:6
Genesis 1 isn’t just an account of creation, it’s an account of our Creator and His character. The God who hung the heavens holds our hearts and the power that spoke a world into existence is the same power that keeps our own individual “worlds” spinning on the course He established for us. May we listen to what He says, trust His promise to complete the work He has started, and find refuge in His never-ending goodness!
“God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about.”
Jerry Bridges
Just the Clay 
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