Ramblings from a Young Christian - Genesis 1:1

A good friend told me about a revelation she had while praying.  She realised that sometimes, we have to take a step first.  Sometimes, we have to build habits before they become enjoyable.  We have to spend time with somebody, before we truly enjoy spending time with them.  I felt convicted of my relationship with God.  How many times have I let my prayer time and study time be laid aside for the benefit of something else, something far less important?  I couldn't just continue to pray for motivation.  My motivation is knowing God - something I should and could definitely make time for. 

So I decided to focus my study of His word and created attainable goals with a system to work through. I'm going to be reading through the Old Testament and laying the cross over it.  I've heard countless times that the Old Testament is continually pointing to Christ and the Cross.  Well, I want to check that out.  Too many times I get waylaid by the idea that the Old Testament is, well, old.  Its time I got a better understanding of it, and God-willing, I'm hoping that this guided study will help me out with that.  
The first day I started was a few weeks ago.  I headed into this expecting to have to spend time chewing over verses and praying for enlightenment.  And boy did I!  But God has been gracious so far and I am being overwhelmed daily by the love, grace and might of our God.  These are my notes and ramblings...

Day 1:  Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

What immediately strikes me about this verse is that God creates.  He is creator, not created.  God is many things, but created is not one of them.  

The next big question that came to mind was "If God is all-knowing, then surely he would have known what was going to happen with his creation.  If so, why did he continue to create us?"

This is a pretty big question and it is not for me to know the whole answer.  But something that came to my mind is that, in many ways, creation isn't finished yet.  

This is true in the sense that we, as fallen human beings, are not yet perfect.  I am still being made into the person God has always intended me to be.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come'.   While I am new, and saved in Christ, already done and finished; the working out of some of that is still occurring.  Its like some weird thing with time that I cannot understand because I am a part of it.  The pot is finished yet still being moulded.  

God finished the initial creation after the 6 days in the beginning of time and then took a rest.  But after being rejected by his own creation, which he knew would happen - God chose to offer the same fellowship he had destined them for.  How?  After falling, we were not good enough to fellowship with him.  There's no need to be convinced, just looking into my own thoughts shows it, and if that doesn't do it for you check out the history of humanity.  Humanity is messed up - we're broken.  There's no way we could associate with God, who is perfect and holy.  

The only way around it would be to justify sin.  A price needs to be paid so that we can say that sin has been accounted for and no longer comes between us and God.  But if the price is to match the crime we are to be given an infinite sentence.  Eternity in hell.  How then should that solve the problem?  God's creation, by our own doing, is still unable to be with the Creator.  Separated now by the judgement required by God's holy attributes.  

But God doesn't leave us.  He doesn't give up.  Instead he says "I want you so much, I will die for you.  I will take your sin, because I am the only one big enough to carry it.   You will sing my praises and at last, we will be together, forever."  

I don't know about you, but nothing else I have ever felt, seen, read or listened to quite expresses love in the same way.   His love for us is overwhelming and clear even from the first moment in our history.  Thank You God!