[This post is in a weekly devotional series called Everything New. Sign up here if you’re interested.]
On the night before Christmas in the year 1968 Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders, the crew of Apollo 8, were further away from the earth than any human beings had been. It was the first time a spacecraft had broken earth’s orbit and ventured out across a quarter million miles to orbit the moon. The distant earth was a small blue disk in the blackness of space, and on that blue disk is where the whole drama of human history had unfolded: the creation, the fall, wars, explorations, feast and famine, marriages and divorces, births and deaths. On a historic broadcast on that Christmas Eve the astronauts beamed back to earth a video picture of the earth, and spoke of the “vast loneliness” of space. And then their voices crackled over the radio: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void; and darkness was over the face of the deep.”
Genesis 1:1 begins with the Hebrew words b’reshith bara Elohim. In beginning, God created. If we just stop there, we gain a decisive view of life. There was a beginning, so there is meaning and purpose to life. Prior to this “beginning” was the God who began it. God is the prior reality, the higher being, the starter, the beginner, the initiator. There is only one being who can explain the world and life, only one who knows it intimately. He “created.” The Hebrew word bara emphasizes originality. An artist may create a painting by spreading paint on a canvas, but that is just pushing molecules around. Even the vision of the artist is not truly original because it is drawn from a lifetime of mental pictures. When God created it was an act of bringing into existence. A truly original act. Behind the act was vision, and will, and love.
So the question is: as we try to figure out life on the blue disk, what are the main questions we should be asking the Creator?
What do you think?
[This post is in a weekly devotional series called Everything New. Sign up here if you’re interested.]
I believe that GOD created EVERYTHING therefore it makes HIM a SUPREME being to who we
must answer to for our actions whether good or bad any accept the concession of. If we love HIM
we will do what HE wants us to do but HE always let us do what we want but he may chastise us if
we do the wrong thing. Therefore we in the end my the desion to do it whether it is GOD will or
not but we MUST suffer the consequence if it is NOT GOD’WILL.
That was excellent!
Why not go through the act of creation in Genesis?
sincerely
Alan Nattrass
Because God created, God owns, because God owns, he provides. God created all, owns all, cares for all.
It is impossible to rather dig deeper and ask the Alighty God what was his thoughts.
Like today’s verse od the day in Roman 11 verese 33 says, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!”
This sums up everything.
We have to just accept, as by faith, what he had or is doing for us.
AMEN!!!!
Before “In the beginning” there was only God, wisdom, unimagable intellegence, but most of all love. Enter humans, pain, suffering, even for God.
My question: Dear God, how great must the outcome be for all of us, even you, to go through so much pain and suffering! What is the outcome of all of this?
Beyond our comprehension. The scientists do not have any scientific answer. Only God could do it!
What was His purpose? Has He created others to witness differences in how we grow, learn, behave?
O, great and wonderful Creator God, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, “Where am I turning from Your will today? And, how can I join You in Your plan?”
What can I do for you?
O homem as vezes vai muito longe para ver como é pequeno, podemos ver de perto o poder, a força e a glória de Deus, pela fé.
Seeing that even the word, beginning, is a geocentric view since His eternal presence abides “around every corner,” we must ask Him as we listen to Isaiah echo His presence, what is the glory you have chosen to display in a universe that is beyond my comprehension, and the purpose in me for accomplishing that?
I would like to ask him why he created Heaven and Earth, and everything in it knowing all that would happen in the world he created.
Why would we believe that our great God created the world. It’s in the proof, and as many new things are discovered as we dig in the soils and continue to find more and more materials that lead to the truth of HIs creation. God is creation and no matter what anyone says that is the truth. We are to bring all people to the faith of Gods creation and the great and gracious gift of eternal life through His sons Jesus the Christ. He has purposes for all things and our human minds can not explain why God does things, but through the study and belief in the Bible we know He has a reason and when we die we will see those answers and why God has plan woht He has done.
Life does not need to be figured out by us. God has it all figured out, he has a plan and the question we should be asking is for God to show us that plan and his will for us in Him.
i have a lot of question for god,i do not know if i will be able to see god face to face to ask him how did he do it ,how did it first begon but there’s one thing i know is that he is mighty he is good too good and i just want my sold to be right with him.the greatest of it all is LOVE if we just submit our life to him and do good and be our brothers keeper love ourself, love each and every one and of it all love god ,one day we might inherit the promise land.
i don’t like tough times thought mine are nothing compared others – still i don’t like them. Creation seems strange but no doubt better than if i had created it – it is all about God rather than about me – a Good thing. my question isn’t about isn’t a why but longing to jump into the Who – the Who beyond understanding – jumping into that He is enough. That is where i want to live – so i’m asking for patience – there is where he is taking me – my question is always how to i get there faster and patience is always the answer – to understand with the heart rather than the mind. Still when i pause creation is so inviting and beautiful singing God is enough.
I think the most important question to ask him, if he created all and I know he did. What is his will for my life? Why was I created?
Thank you if you are going thru all the Bible this way what a wonderful thing you are doing it will answer many questions for me thank you
I think you stopped short. I am struggling with my health and my mind is very weary. I was anxiously looking forward to my first edition of your inspirationaly emails giving me a look at how you see things but you stopped short and just asked what I think. I need more than that today. Perhaps you shouldn’t be so intelligent but more giving of your heart’s content.
I serve the most Holy God who I can go to and talk to as my Abba Father. I go to him lots during the day and night. I also serve the Holiest of High Priests who is also my Friend, Shepherd and above all my Savior and Healer spoken of in Psalm 103.
I am struggling with uncontrolable high blood pressure, nearly 85, need the evidence of things hoped for and not yet seen. The only time I can get my blood pressure to normal is when I read the word and worship God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As soon as I stop worshipping and try to go about my daily tasks my blood pressure shoots right back up above 165 and often to the high 190’s. I struggle with self, I cling to my faith, I rebuke the lair who never ceases to TRY to get me to follow him. Life is so hard. I was looking for words of hope that would send my spirit and my mind soaring into the Holy of Holies. I was looking for a man of God who’d put his arms around me and pray over my needs like he knew God. Oh such bliss. Love travels so much farther than questions. Questions don’t lift the spirit when one is tired out.
What is your will for me, your love creation, my God, my Creator?
Satan is a trash man. He trashes lives and throws them into the dumpster. He declares: “No value! No worth!” Jesus is the recycler. He reaches into the muck of the trash can, rescues us and declares we are precious treasures. His unconditional love is our road map to heaven. Jesus wants us to share this love with others so they will be able to find their way home. God created us because he was hungry for a family to love him. He gave us a free will to chose him or reject him. His ultimate goal for us is eternity in heaven with Him. I can’t imagine anything worse than to hear someone I love on the wrong side of heaven’s gates crying out, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Very good. Thanks for this e-mail devotional. I look forward to more.
This just great, In the beginning God created, it ends in a finished statement, meaning when God completed his work he did not need anyone to inspect it , give Him (Elohim),their opinion, nor help. He completed it for us, and we should know that nothing is lacking.
Shalom!
Thank you for your devotional, Dr Lawrenz! I do agree with Bernice, though – I wouldn’t mind if these were a little longer, and maybe had questions that would get us talking to one another on this board.
I’ve been blessed in this lifetime, but some questions that remains with me are:
Does ALL of our struggling truly have a purpose, or are we the ones who have to make it purposeful? (And how?)
What more inspirational words can one want but that God created the Heavens and Earth and all thing visible and invisible? Ponder this and many answers should come to you. Rather than question the Lord, read the Bible for more answers. I’m not saying we don’t have questions, but I do believe in Trusting the Lord and He will give you answers. We are the children of a King who deserves praise and worship. In the end all these things will be revealed to us. Amen and Amen!
Gracias por este devocional
La palabra de Dios es grandiosa, yo le preguntaría igual que Pablo, ¿Que quieres que yo haga, Señor?
La peticion de mi corazon para todos ustedes, que Dios los bendiga
Very timely in light of the current shuttle exploration with a billion dollar experiment to “discover the origin” of the universerse. One must Know that God is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. With eternity in our hearts, we say” how long O Lord, will you contend with a world that does not revere You? How long O Lord, till every knee bows and every tongue confesses” Then we must ask, who do I need to tell, how can I show Your love today? The Love that brought All This, little blue disk, into life by the sound of your voice. Praise You Bessed Creator.
we should be asking God what is it that you would have me to do and who’s life is it that you want to put me in to help make my life and someone’s else life easier till you come back for us and to help make this little blie disk a better place for my family and others, use me Lord
we should be asking God what is it that you would have me to do and who’s life is it that you want to put me in to help make my life and someone’s else life easier till you come back for us and to help make this little blue disk a better place for my family and others, use me Lord
Since I’m disabled. I’m limited of what I can do I ask God every day, what He wants me to do, and I feel that I get no answer, because I do is sit in my wheelchair and watch people go on with their lives. All I hear people say is, there’s not enough hours in a day. I feel very helpless, and it hurts. One more example that I have, when someone in my family needs help he or she call another family member, and ask them for help where they can’t ask me. That hurts me very much.
The questions we should ask are this: When you were creating the earth and all that was in it—you also knew “us” before you created “us”. What did you know? Did you have a picture of us in your heart and mind? Did you know the personality you would place within us? Did you know the color of our hair and eyes, the gait of our walk, the family you would expose us to? What made you choose those things? I can’t believe they would be random choices and you would be thinking: “Oh, I think for fun I will put this little girl in that family, etc. I will give her that personality, etc.” What wounds did you predetermine we would suffer? How do all those choices YOU made fit into your purpose?
It will be interesting to find out the answers to these questions because God is so immense we will never comprehend Him, but I do bet He will share His thoughts with us if we ask Him.
How Did He Do It ? By Speaking the Universe into Existence. And when He created man, He said in Plural form, “Let Us make man in Our Image, according to Our Likeness”.
What is God’s will for our lives and what can we do to facilitate that into our lives.
sometimes its like my father and I are a team 🙂 now as im reading this i remember that earlier today i wrote this on my fb :
people in this world dont believe no more… they believe what makes sence to them or what they are used to… i know for a fact that if God would come down today and tell me straight to my face all of the wonders and miracles and secrets of the worlds and ask me to share this with his people… i know for a fact no 1 would listen… the moslim would say.. Allah never said that, its not in the Quran.. the ‘cristian’ would say… thats not what i was taught.. and thats not how i interpret the bible… we’ve been living sooooo long in this world.. we claiming we love God yet i still dont see 1 person healing the sick or feeding the millions of poor people out there by faith along… how it is supposed 2 be.. because u dont believe no more… everybody wants God to fit in the picture of life,love and salvation that they created by their flawed and weak human minds… You will never get the right answer.. till u ask the right question… How much times ive heard people ask the same question over and over again; ‘God why have u abandoned us…? … there’s no answer for that question because he never did… the right question should be.. ; God why have We abandoned you…? start asking the right questions and maybe there is still hope for us after all….
What is my purpose? Why did you choose to create me? What is your plan and purpose for me? Show me so I may serve it for your glory. I feel so unworthy. And so small.
When you come to think of it, this creation, several thoughts enter your mind, because of the vastness and wonders of it all. but what is awesome, is the perfection of the work and the way everything functions; as though it is computerized. Look at the sun, moon, wind, rain, stars, nature, the sea and everything else. Not even the greatest of science could come close to measuring up to this phenomenon. It is said that in science there is no authority, only experts, but in God’s creation there is certainly authority. The answer to the question, “Why did God create the universe”, we may never know in this lifetime.
Before creating the universe , time went on without anything? or there was another creation ?
When we move away from ” I ” (self) and simply love, delight, worship, praise, glorify, serve, walk and talk with our sovereign creator, there are no questions ….only Grace, peace, happiness, truth, surity and understanding that God is with His creation whether on the mountain top or in the valley, the deep reaches of space or the embrace of a loved one. God is there.
I think about Mr. Steven Hawkings..And I ask How can I get the message to him?? There are people who refuse your love..Why?? I want to show every one God’s love.. Why can’t they be reached?? Did you creat Judus to do what he did??
Dear Father,
What can I do for you ?? Will you walk with me all the days I have to be here on your creation? What is your will for me? Be it ever so small and humble Lord I work for you and Seek you with a earnest heart..I pray for people and Mr, Steven Hawkings Lord touch His heart..Then as all your Disiples there will be many that will hear you voice calling them… Help me to hear you voice and help me to do your will …for ever and ever ..In Jesus name I pray Amen….
As we try to figure out life on the blue disk, what questions should we be asking our Creator?
Life is either an expression of hate or love. Neither both at the same time. There is both a verbal expression and/or a walk/body language expression. If one is not expressing love-discussing/asking about another’s faith journey/expressing concern and care of another, one is in ignorance which has no excuse or reason to be in Heaven. So the question-WHAT IS MAKING IT SO EASY IN YOUR CREATION OF MAN AND WOMAN TO COMMIT SIN? IS THERE ANOTHER EVIL FORCE-FALLEN BEINGS FROM HEAVENS COMING FROM FAR, FAR AWAY FROM THIS GALAXY THAT HAS BEEN ATTACKING US IN THIS WORLD THAT EVIL IS SO STRONG AND LOVE IS SO WEAK AND DIFFICULT TO FIND IN OTHERS?
A very touching devotional, i would like to ask Him- why am i here???
no questions for the sovereign God and Creator….
What’s YOUR will in my life Lord ???? When will You show me that Lord ???
There are two things that I have made a point not to try and figure out. That is God and Women! LOL. Anyway, God just left us with in the beginning because that is all we apparently needed to know. Because he is infinite and because of our finite minds he chose not to share where he came from . We could never understand so we must believe by faith that in the beginning how all this came to be, was God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. So, without faith it is impossible to please God because we must first believe there is a God. Just look at each day and see the canvas God paints new on everyday and know that yes there is a creator greater than anything on earth and all you have to do is believe in your heart and believe in Jesus!!!
So the question is: as we try to figure out life on the blue disk, what are the main questions we should be asking the Creator?
Where do I fit in??????
What plans did you have in mind for me when you brought the earth into being????
What can I do that pleases you?
What makes you angry?
How can I learn more about you?
Everything that our LORD has created is great and unsearchable. We cant figure out HIS ways (Isaiah 55 : 8-9). I believe our main duty in this world is to fear God as it is written in Ecclesiastes 12:13.
The first question that comes to my mind is “Why”? Who are we that He would be so mindful of us?