The Question 001 | Light

Creation

001 | Light

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

Genesis 1.1-5 ESV

At the very start of the creation poem that begins the book of Genesis, a foundation is set in the ground. Everything that comes afterwards in the bible is built off this one statement: "In the beginning, God created..."

God created the canvas that the world is painted upon. He spoke light into being. He imagined the concept like an artist bringing a piece of work from his mind and into the world. The universe is not an accident and it is not random. We are here because God wanted us here, wanted to create. I remember this book my mom used to read to me. This book was about Creation, and there was an illustration in the first few pages that I love. It's a picture of God, grinning with flushed cheeks as He blows these massive multicolored bubbles into the darkness of space. As they drift away from Him, they become more solid and grow in size until they are planets. 

 Perhaps our view of creation is too solemn and "mature." Perhaps God creates like a child blowing bubbles, full of joy and wonder and the love of beautiful things. A child looks into empty space, a forest, a fort of couch cushions and sheets, and imagines entire worlds. Maybe God's a little bit like a child imagining a new world. Maybe God's a little bit more joyful and giddy than we give Him credit for. 

Maybe God, among this blank canvas of a universe, began to imagine. 

From the void, from the formless and absence of matter and energy, God brings light. This light pours forth from God and charges headfirst into the blanket blackness of the universe.

 The light He creates does not mix with the dark, in fact it banishes the night, changing the very nature of creation. When light enters the world, nothing is ever the same.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for another day. Thank you for speaking this world into being. Help me today. Speak Light into the dark places of my heart. Recreate Your Light within me, so that I can oppose the darkness in this world. Help me to be a Light to the world today, and to confront the darkness within the people around me. Use me as a conduit of Your Light. Amen. 

The Question

What darkness in your own life do you need God to speak Light into?