God Can Handle Chaos - Even Yours
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2 (NLT)
Eventually, as we grow older each of us start to take notice of the world around us….the sky, the sea, the birds, the flowers, the animals, the trees and all of life around us. As we became aware of the world and creation, there is a key question we ask:
How did it begin?
Then we ask, When did it all start? How long has the world been going on like this? Finally, we come to the big question, Who is behind it? All these questions are answered in Genesis 1-2.
DARKNESS WAS OVER THE SURFACE OF THE DEEP.
Before there was an Earth, a molecule, life, or light, there was God.
God is eternal, which doesn’t mean He is old because He is beyond time, but eternal means that He had no beginning. He always was, is, and will always be.
This first look at God’s Creation, as Genesis begins, is empty, black, and watery. Light had not yet been created. Solid ground for walking on had yet to be fashioned. Life of any kind on the earth had not yet happened. Man and woman were not yet created.
What is pictured in Genesis 1-2 is not ugly or beautiful, but it is full of potential.
A VOICE OUT OF THE VOID
Out of this dark, formless void comes a voice–the voice of God. In the context of chaos, God speaks, and everything changes. Over and over we read: “And God said.” God speaks and “it was so.” Throughout creation, God speaks and there is a beginning.
For every person, God’s word can bring a new beginning. Sometimes we need to hear His voice, sometimes we need to see how He wants to bring a new beginning into our life. But God speaks and even now there is an opportunity for a new beginning for every person.
GOD’S GOOD CREATION
Throughout Genesis 1, the emphasis is how God’s creation is good. The repeated “it is good” summarizes each day of creation–the vegetation, the animals, the stars, and humanity–is called good and ultimately, very good, after it is created.
In the process of creation, God separates the light from the darkness. The light overcomes darkness.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (NIV)
WHY DIDN’T GOD FINISH CREATION ALL AT ONCE?
Genesis 1-2 leads us to several questions. One key question is: If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, why didn’t He bring about a fully developed and complete creation in an instant? It’s a good question.
God, by developing His creation over time, allowed His wisdom and power to slowly be revealed. By creating the universe this way, God taught us that He can rescue us from darkness, aimlessness, and chaos. And when He does rescue us–He doesn’t do it instantaneously, but in a way that unfolds His power, His knowledge, and His love step by step.
YOU CAN BE PERSONALLY CONFUSED, EMPTY, LIFELESS, AND CHAOTIC.
If you are not yet a Christian, and if you are uncertain why you are on this planet, and unsure of your purpose and the meaning of your life–God is calling to you. He has the answers to your confusion and purpose. Or, maybe you are a Christian, and the chaos of life is pressing down on you and you are facing despair.
Whoever you are, and whatever the struggles and depths of your difficulties, God is near. He loves you, He is near to you, and He can rescue you. We see a living picture of His rescue and plan play out in the six days of creation.
God is not aloof or far away from each of us because of the chaos around us. His caring presence is very near, and He is at work. All we must do is turn to Him.