THE FIRST THING

Some people may say, “I don’t know the first thing about”…and that may include their walk with God. If someone is trying to put a slide rule, calculator or calendar to the activities and ways of God they will be very frustrated. We do know, according to Paul that, “…from the beginning of time God made himself known…” ( Romans 1.19,20). The scientist may say, “This cannot be proved”. The atheist is heard saying, “There is no God”, the frustrated person simply says, "Oh God!" and, the materialist’s lifestyle today demonstrates, “I have my own God”. Bottom line, the ‘first thing’ is God.

A second idea about 'the first thing' (God!) deals with“creativity or, change”. God saw that the world was dark so he lighted it. God saw the world was empty and God filled it and; God heard the silence and so he, spoke into it. One translation of the English word, “create” is, “to fatten” or “to fill”. Question: Are the things you involve yourself marked with creativity or, in some way, ‘fill the empty places’ where there is noticeable need?

A third idea very much related to God’s “creativity” has to do with“relationship”. Scripture teaches that “God walked with Adam and Eve" (Gen. 3.8), "looked for Adam and Eve" (Gen. 3.9), "God spoke with Adam and Eve" (3.9) and, made both temporal and eternal provision for them (Gen. 3.21). This entire “relational sequencing” is described in John 1.1,14, "In the beginning was the word (God SPEAKS) ... and the word became flesh (God INHABITS) and dwelt among us (God COMMITS) and we beheld His glory (God is DISCERNABLE), glory as of the only begotten from the Father (God is RELATIONAL), full of grace and truth (God is GRACIOUS)."

A fourth idea we know about the “first thing” is that God wants humanity to experience “meaning or significance”. If Adam and Eve had not been given a “purpose statement” (“Go and order the land”, Gen. 1.28) they would have certainly asked one day, “What are we here for?” These four ideas,

God--creativity--relationship--meaning are like the four points of a compass that direct our lives.

A concluding question, “Can these four ideas be measured? Can a person really know if what they say are priorities, are REAL priorities?” I emphatically say, “YES!” On day seven of the Genesis account we learn, God rested. God stopped working, not because God was tired but because His creative works were complete. A person can know if they live life guided by these four ideas IF…One, our work will be blessed by God (God declared, 'good', everything that was created) and two, we experience authentic rest (shalom, well being). Rest, freedom from striving, is a second sign or evidence that what we have put our hands, and minds and hearts to is honoring to God.