He Looked at the Void and Imagined...

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis‬ ‭1:1-2‬)

You know that feeling when you stare at a blank page, a newly sharpened pencil in your hand, and a world of opportunity at your fingertips? Those times when you imagine the beginning of a story, and then rewrite it in your mind a bunch of times before you decide which is the BEST use of your imagination. The piece of art you produce is what made you shiver with excitement before it took shape.

God, the ultimate example of creativity, once looked out on a great empty void, and decided, "Let there be light."

Before there was even light, God imagined the cosmos, the earth, humanity, and all of its history. He imagined a beautiful relationship with humanity, which was bound to be broken in very short time. After that, He imagined His heart breaking millions of times, as He watched those He loved hurt themselves and hurt Him, finally killing Him, and even then, He knew that they would ignore Him. Hate Him. Mock Him.

He imagined this as He looked over the void, and knew He could create a different story. A different world, a different way.

Still He said, "Let there be light."

And so it began.

I don't know why.

I usually like to have a neat wrap up for my posts, but this one I don't. It was a thought I had that blew my mind a little, so I'm sharing it, but I suppose it's something I'll never know unless I can ask Jesus and I can comprehend His answer.

I like to look for parallels between our nature and God's, but when I sit in front of a blank canvas, I just don't choose a painting that shames me. I would never write a song that disgraces me, or choreograph a dance that makes me cry.

Even if I knew it would result in a happy ending, those people who brought judgment on themselves for lack of repentance would never leave my mind. I wouldn't choose a story that turned out that way, but God did.

Lots of people say that God can't exist, or if He does He can't be good, because of the evil He allows to exist. Could it have been changed if He chose a different story? Maybe. I have no idea.

Whether or not it could be, there is one thing I know, and that is that God is good. Whatever world He chose to create, He would not change, and I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.

My finite mind can't comprehend much outside of its own borders, but what I know I will hold to, this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.