In the Beginning, God...

What else could we believe? How could anyone walk around in a day to day existence without this belief? Simply for security purposes and our mind's sanity, I have to believe that "In the Beginning, God."

That statement, of course, encompasses the creation. I love how Dozier discusses this, though. She is right on when she says that this passage at the beginning of Genesis discusses meaning. I think the top questions on everyone's mind are: Where did I come from? and Why am I here? These questions are looking for purpose. This is what I mean by keeping my sanity. Without believing that God created and thus has a purpose for his creation, why would we be here? If there is no greater purpose for my life than to be born, do all of the normal life stuff and die, what stops me from doing anything I want and being judged by any standard that I unilaterally and arbitrarally create myself?

Yes, I have to believe that God created, but that is a very topical analysis or "a flitting around on the surface" of the things of God. As I read Psalm 104, I hunger for more. More understanding of how God placed the earth on its foundation so it would never be moved. More understanding of how our solar system can be one tiny speck of this massive universe. More thoughts that reveal to me how our sun is like one of the grains of sand on our world's beaches amidst all of the other stars of our universe, yet how each animal, each person, every living being depends on God for its food. Can I really believe all of this? It is too much for me to handle. There is no doubt that God's thoughts are higher than my thoughts. While I have to believe it, I can't even begin to understand what God has created.

Even further... Saying that God created gives, by definition, a finite amount of time for the creation. We believe that God is eternal, infinite. That means that God was there before "In the beginning (of creation), God...". I don't want to - actually, I simply can't - begin to imagine, but what was God doing before he created us and our little world? When the time for our creation is up, will he make another?

God's creation was an act of love. Since God's very nature is love, it was as if he had no other choice than to create creatures that would have the freedom to return love to him. This is why we were created.

I don't believe, though, as Dozier says, that God needed to be in relationship to be fulfilled. I believe God is absolutely complete without us, yet he chose - as Dozier goes on to say - to become vulnerable. This is a great mystery to me and gives me a sense of awe when I think of God. Here he is, the Almighty, All Powerful, without need for anyone or anything, yet he decides to make himself vulnerable to us, creating us to be free to love him if we decide. In this case, the lover has created and sought out the beloved with the full and all-too-real possibility that the beloved would not return the love.

So where does that leave me? God has created and must have a plan for my life. I actually am able to see several plans going on at once, although I'm hoping - and yet sure at the same time - that God simply looks through all of this and sees me as we discussed last month, the Beloved.