Monday, May 2, 2011

New beginnings? Fresh starts? Back to the basics...


If you get nothing out of this note at least read the last few paragraphs.."Begin...start...commence...open... There's something refreshing and optimistic about these words, whether they refer to the dawn of the day, the birth of a child, the prelude of a symphony, or the first miles of a family vacation. FREE OF PROBLEMS AND FULL OF PROMISE, beginnings stir hope and imaginative visions for the future."

   As a prelude to my study Bible, this quote is referring to the book of Genesis. The book of Genesis starts out with a beautiful pure world being created by a Holy God. Genesis, "reveals the person and nature of God( Creator, Sustainer, Judge, Redeemer); the value and dignity of human beings(made in the God's image,saved by grace, used by God in the world); the tragedy and consequences of sin (the fall, separation from God, judgment); and the promise and assurance of salvation (covenant,forgiveness, promised Messiah)."

Genesis. The beginning. Free of pain, free of sin(well at least in the beginning). However, it was not free of temptation.  The whole point of creation was to build a beautiful place with beautiful people to be able to share in the fellowship and  Holiness of God..with CHOICE. Bathed in innocence, creation was shattered by the fall.This note is that of a lead towards a redemption that is easily obtained.

With Easter just passing, God was showing  me how He wants to bring us all back to that place. He wants to all takes us back to the Genesis in our lives before the fall from temptation led us spiraling downward. Maybe you don't remember what it was that took you away from the purity in your heart, and maybe there has been a situation in your life that you think you will never be free of. But, whatever the case may be there is a God that wants to allure you unto Him. He wants to lead us tenderly into the desert and give us back our most prized possession, and here he will turn what meant for death into a beautiful life everlasting. Here we will sing and rejoice just as we did before our lifeless days- Hosea 2:15 paraphrased. 

Gods longing is to take us back into the place in our life where we were once proud of ourself. The place that held no guilt or shame. The place that echoed back His love into the world so that the lost and the dying could see a glimpse of life. The place where we ourself felt life. A place full of happiness, love and compassion. His desire is for ALL of His children to find this escape from life's hard reality to a place where nothing can shake off His joy!

His death was meant to cover our shame and sin and bring us back to our Genesis! Every person has their own Genesis, their own fresh beginning. At some point we all become someone we hate. Maybe you remember yourself as a child so free and happy and full of the love God placed in you. God can renew you and bring you back to that place of innocence. Maybe you find that your heart has hardened to the point of being compassionless for people. God can turn your heart into complete mush to where it breaks over those that are hurting, no matter who it may be. Maybe you find that no matter how hard you try you cant seem to ever be enough. God can show you that he created you with the perfect intention of using you! And He will!

Do some soul searching. Find out where you were before the fall and give it all up to your Father.He will take you above and beyond what you ever thought you could be. When you find yourself surrounded in the new Genesis beware of the temptations, for they will still come. But with God, everything is conquerable. Genesis 4:7 "For if you do right will you not be accepted? But if you do not do right sin is crouching at your door and its desire is to have you, but you must master it."We are all good people, we just lose our way and our hearts harden to the love our God is so desperately waiting to give away.

"Come now, let us reason together,says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18. Stop making it harder than it has to be.

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