Thoughts from January 1 Bible reading

January 1, 2018

Reading: Genesis 1-3; Matthew 1

There is so much from our reading today that should cause us to worship our God and be in awe of Him.  There is more in the reading that I could comment on, but consider these things about the Lord from our reading today:

Genesis 1:14-15 (CSB translation)

¹⁴ Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. ¹⁵ They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.” And it was so.

Consider how the Bible describes God’s creating of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day of creation.  The Bible says He placed them in the heavens to separate day from night, and to mark days, season, and years.  Does that seem a little extravagant to you?  Consider the sheer size and power of the sun.  Now consider the fact that our sun is just an average star.  There are known stars which dwarf our sun in size and power.  Consider the fact that our galaxy is an average galaxy of which there are billions of galaxies with millions of stars each.  It seems a little overkill to this feeble mind to believe that God has created all of this just to provide us light and to mark time for us.  Yet, God simply spoke these things into existence.  Oh, what knowledge, and wisdom, and power God must posses to create such an extravagant universe! How should we respond to a God who has given us the universe for the simple task of lighting and keeping time? Let us fall down and worship this God.  Let us rise up and serve this God.  Let us get to know this God.  Let us give our lives in service to this God.

Matthew 1:21 (CSB translation)

²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

In Matthew 1, it is overwhelming to consider God’s work not only in the cosmic realm, but also in the realms of history and biology.  God has gone to great lengths not only to provide us the sun, moon, and stars, but also to provide us a Savior.  Matthew 1 traces a large swath of the genealogy of Jesus.  Consider God’s command over the events of history for this to take place.  God caused kingdoms to rise and fall throughout history to bring about the Savior.  God caused a people to be established (the Jewish people) and specific tribes and families and individuals to bring about the Savior in the fullness of time.  Through the rising and falling of nations, through interpersonal relationship between families and individuals, through fertilization in the womb, through control over X and Y chromosomes, and through the miracle of a virgin birth, God worked to fulfill every promise He made to bring mankind a Savior.  How should you respond to this God who has gone to such extravagant lengths to provide you a Savior?  Again, I say, fall down and worship Him, rise up and serve Him, get to know Him, and give your lives in service to Him!

Romans 11:33–36 (CSB)

³³Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways!

³⁴For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?

³⁵And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?

³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.