SOAP 01/01/2015; Genesis 1:1

Today's reading: Genesis 1

S) "¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Genesis 1:1 (NASB)

O) This is the beginning, the Genesis, the foundation, the origin. "In the beginning God," is a powerful grouping of words. It establishes that God existed in eternity, before creation. He existed without human relationship - God doesn't need me to love, worship, or obey Him. It establishes that the Bible, all of creation, is really about Him. He is the central character, not the things or people He created. Genesis is the origin story of earth, and man, all of creation, but not the origin story of God. No, this is the origin of relationship with God. This is the origin of reference to God. We, as creation, give God's existence a sort of contrasting definition. That is, however, only from our perspective. Again, God existed before the creation. The created was made for God, not the other way around. However, God existed forever before creation. He was not compelled to create man. He did not need to create us. He only chose to create us. It was His will, not His need to create us. We are created to glorify Him with our very existence. We do not validate Him; God does not need our help. To whom does He need to prove Himself? We exist to glorify Him, because it is His will for us to know Him. We are made to worship and praise Him, so that others will recognize Him, because He is good and He wants us to see His character, love, and existence.


A) The central struggle of humanity, is that we (as individuals and collectives) want the story to be about us. One of my favorite videogames is Final Fantasy X (10). In the opening scene, we see the main character, Tidus, declare that it is his story. He is claiming ownership over his own destiny. What Tidus doesn't realize, though, is that he is completely wrong. Other characters in the game existed before him, and after him. Also, he is fictional, and I completely control Tidus. In fact, people are drawn to play a game like that (I am drawn to a game like that) because on a deeper level, his declaration of independence is the cry of my sinful heart. I want the story to be about me. Not just his story, but as it bleeds out into my real life. But, just as I am on another plane of existence from a fictional videogame, God exists on a different level than me. Not to take this to a silly level, but God is sovereign and I am not. For me to pretend that I have control over my life, is to completely rebel against my Creator, and it is just as futile for me to act under such a delusional pretense (as it is for a fictional game character to break a fourth wall (in a scripted game, no less!) and address the person holding the controller!). I need to live this life with the understanding that it is not my story, but a very small page in His story. As such, I need to get on the same page as the Author and Perfector of my faith.

P) Father, I confess that I have been viewing my life in selfish rebellion. It is the most central struggle I have, that I would live out my life as if I am in control, scripting the course of my destiny. Thank You for the grace at work in my life, that You have provided, protected, and perfected my mistakes. When I have gone off script, and tried to make the story about me, You have been so patient, and slow to anger, and merciful. This story really is about You, and as such, I want to keep making it about You. Help me to keep focus, in humility, to glorify Your name in my life. Most people in history do not have their lives recorded in the Bible with any detail whatsoever. I don't know, when it's all said and done, if my role in the play would rank enough for even a byword. I may be less than an extra, but if that's Your will for Your story, then let Your will be done. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.