Monday Manna - Beginnings

Welcome to Monday Manna. The purpose of this meme is to get together and get to know Christ more through His Word. The first and third Monday of each month, anyone who wishes can post their thoughts on a verse I introduced at my blog the Thursday before. It doesn't have to be a long post -- just a few thoughts, a picture you feel helps express it, a poem, a short story, a devotional.

Anyone is welcome to participate. Just post to your blog and link up at the bottom of this post in the Mr. Linky gadget.

Monday Manna verses this week are Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1. You can comment on one or both. Looking forward to reading what you have to share.

My thoughts are below.

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Beginnings. We all experience a lot of them. The beginning of a life, a job, a marriage, a year, a story. Some are celebrated, some not.

Even in God's Word, there are several significant beginnings: the beginning of God's chosen people with Abraham, the beginning of the monarchy with Saul, the beginning of the church at Pentacost, the beginning of Paul's mission to the Gentiles at Damascus.

But the two most monumental beginnings in the Bible are not these. They can be found at the beginning of the first book of the Old Testament, and the fourth book of the New Testament.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

A radical statement, to be sure. The beginning of our planet was not the true beginning--for God already existed. And that same God is the creator of everything.

This opening verse forces readers to make a decision. They must decide, from the first line, if what they are reading is fact or fiction. And our choice will profoundly affect how we view the rest of this Book. Accepting Genesis 1:1 as truth is a fundamental part of believing in this God.

But believing in God is not enough. That's where John 1:1 comes from.

In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Another radical statement. The Word (namely Christ, as is shown just a dozen verses down) was in the beginning--and He was also God. Not a man. Not just a miracle worker, or a great teacher. He is, was, and always will be, God.

Again, we have a decision to make. Do we believe that Christ was in fact God incarnate? That he was not created that day in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, but instead is as eternal as the Lord Himself? Do we believe that the Man who was born in Bethlehem, lived 3o plus years, died on the cross, and rose again is in fact the same Man who created the heavens and the earth? Again, whether we accept John 1:1 as truth influences our view of every other bit of the New Testament, and, of course, of Christ Himself.

And, if you do accept these beginnings as fact, then, perhaps, you have your own beginning to celebrate and ponder: your beginning as a new creation in Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

And in your life, that is the most important beginning of all.

Heavenly Father, thank you for starting my life anew when I accepted You as my savior from sin. Thank You for giving us Your Word, which is not just a book. Thank You for using Your words to create the world, to create me, and to send Your Son to be the Word for us. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Don't forget to link up in the Mr. Linky gadget below, and to check out the other contributors. Thanks for participating and reading!