I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
At the very beginning of the world as we know it, all was darkness. And God said:
Darkness and light cannot co-exist because the light always dispels the darkness. God called the light “good.”
Isaiah prophesied that the people who walk in darkness (sin) have seen a great light (Jesus). The Lord vanquished the darkness of sin in the world once and for all, but we have to come to that light in order to see it and be affected by it.
Jesus clearly stated that He is the light of the world. When we follow Him, we are no longer stumbling around in the dark, bouncing from one sin to the next. We have the light of life within us. God started by giving us light, mankind sinned and turned away from the light and Jesus’s life and death restored it to us, if we choose to follow.
This is our admonition since we are “people of light.” We are to live like it. Encourage others, confront sin (as led by the Holy Spirit) and be the light that others need by telling them about how the light came into your life. God created light and said that it was “good.” Jesus was the light and God said He was “well pleased” with His beloved Son. And one day, we will stand before the Father and if we have fulfilled our mission of being the light for others, He will say, “Well done!”
Deep Confidence in a Big God (YouVersion, Daily Refresh, 5-16-25)
Before the telescope was invented, all that was known about the sky above was what could be seen with the naked eye.
Now, thanks to advances in modern technology, we are aware of far-off galaxies, stunning nebulas, and mysterious black holes. Now, we realize that our knowledge was (and still is) severely limited.
There’s something about staring up at a blanket of stars that beckons wonder. There’s something about a watercolor sunset that invites curiosity. There’s something about standing on top of a giant rock—that’s suspended on nothing in the middle of a massively complex universe—that invites worship.
We are merely discovering what God has put here in the first place. And the more we uncover, the more we are filled with awe.
Yes, the heavens remind us of God’s majesty; the skies remind us of His splendor. But they also remind us of how big He is and how small we are. They remind us of His vastness and our limitations, and of His independence and our utter dependence on Him.
So whenever you see a star-filled sky, are stopped in your tracks by a brilliant sunrise, or read about some extraordinary discovery on the fringes of space, don’t forget to praise the One who has created and sustained it all along.
My Thoughts
If this trip of over 1000 miles this week has taught me anything, it has taught me to look around me at the wonderful world that God has given us to enjoy. I have looked at the mountains of PA, the rolling hills there and the beautiful sunset after a mostly rainy day. I have seen the green, mountainous landscape of West Virginia, the flat farmlands all along the way and the beautiful flowering trees and plants. God created and put us here to enjoy it. We see, we are grateful and more than that, God’s creation teaches us to trust. In times of change, like having three grandchildren whom I held as infants graduate from college, it is a good time to remember that God does not and will not change. He is always as close as our next prayer. I am deeply grateful for all that God has allowed me to see and experience. I know that He is a big, big God because of all He has done and continues to do for me.
Today, we head home (yes, that was a big sigh of relief), and tomorrow is the final college graduation of our oldest grandson. God continues to amaze me with the talents he has given these young adults and the way I am certain He will use them if they will let Him. There are a lot of miles on this body and so many steps over the last ten days that I am aching, but God is an awesome God who gave me the strength for each mile and each step, and I am confident He will be with me, showing me new things until He calls me home.
I believe what the Bible says about God’s creating everything. I am not a proponent of combining science and the Bible and coming up with new theories about how everything came to be. I just believe what God said. After all, He is the Creator and He was the only One there at the time, so I will take Him at His word.
Many like to refute the truth of the Old Testament, saying that it is no longer relevant so people need to only pay attention to what is in the New Testament. Really? ALL of God’s Word is relevant and necessary if we want to truly get to know Him. But for those who need verses from the New Testament that point to God as Creator, there are many.
Not only did God create everything to begin with, He puts the people in power who are on thrones or even in the Capitol building. It is hard for me to grasp that, but I think of it as, “God put them there for this season and He will be the One to remove them when that season is over.” We were created “through Him” but notice that we were also created “for Him.” We were created to have a relationship with God and it is to our detriment that we turn away and choose not to do so.
Scientists want to prove everything with things that they can explain with math formulas and experiments and observation. We Christians, however, know that understanding that God formed everything is by faith. We can’t experiment with faith or come up with a good math formula that replicates it. There are all kinds of physics laws, but one I remember from long ago is that matter can neither be created nor destroyed. I suppose that is true when man tries to create something from nothing or totally destroy something so that it no longer exists. But God created the laws of the Universe and He doesn’t have to operate within their boundaries. He created something from nothing and He can also totally destroy things so that they no longer exist. If you don’t believe me, read Genesis 1 and then turn to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. The towns were there and then they weren’t, due to their great sin. We can trust that God’s Word is always true and that He is in control of all that He has made. What we cannot trust is mankind’s idea of putting God in a box and commanding Him to stay there until they are ready to let Him out or need Him for something. God is not the genie in the bottle, ready to appear when we want Him to. He is always there, always looking, always listening, and ever waiting for us to accept Him as not only our Creator but also our Savior.
It amazes me that the God who made everything knew we would need a Savior and planned for Jesus and our redemption from the beginning. Read Genesis 3:15 and see the plan’s beginning. In this month in which we celebrate the Resurrection, we can also see the evidence of new life as flowers and trees bud and blossom. They are the visible representation of the new life that God has for us if we just accept it.
Creation was God’s plan. How did He do it? I don’t know and I don’t have to know because I have the faith to believe that He said it and that makes it true.
So this is the week where we lost an hour of sleep and somehow have a longer day. I am not sure how all of that works, but one thing I do know. Jesus is and always will be the light of the world, no matter what time zone we are in.
Jesus gives His light equally to everyone. It is not His will that some should remain in darkness. That’s why He calls us to be lights to a dark world.
Knowing that Jesus is always there, shining brightly in and through us should give us the courage to tell others about His great salvation.
Think about this quotation. You don’t give to get, but receiving is a byproduct of giving. God started the whole process of light when He said, “Let there be light.” Think of all of the life forces that depend on light. God knew exactly what He was doing, and we need to be intentional about shining.
Prayer about Being a Light to Others (YouVersion Prayer)
Jesus, thank You for being the light of the world, and for giving us hope for an eternal relationship and life with You. Thank You for allowing me to represent You on earth, and for giving me the Holy Spirit to help me live a life that honors You. Each day, help me be a light in the darkness and draw others closer to You. Amen.
We are the culmination of God’s creative work. When the Lord God created earth and everything on it, mankind was His last and ultimate creation. About man, God said, “It is very good.”
On Monday night at Bible study, as our group waited for the lesson to begin, this photo was the view from the picture window. Isn’t is amazing? God’s creation never ceases to amaze me with its stunning display of color and how everything flows together beautifully. When I see a sunset like this, I am reminded of how very much God loves each of us. We are all special to Him, uniquely created to fulfill a purpose in His plan. I don’t know about you, but my reaction is one of awe and gratitude that the God of the Universe, the One who made this gorgeous sky for us to enjoy, knows me by name and loves me. And He loves you the same way!
Establishing that Jesus is infinite and eternal because He is God just as much as the Father is God, the Bible gives us a firm foundation for our faith. Starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation, the Bible is God’s plan, unfolding for mankind. God sees and He saw. God created and said it was good. God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are the Trinity that make up the truth on which our faith is built. “In the beginning”…before there was anything that we know today, there was the Word and that Word was Jesus, destined to be our Savior and our Lord forever. Worship Him and let Him know how much you appreciate Him, even if you are like me and don’t totally understand the Trinity. He says He is the Word and that is good enough for me!
The Best Word
One of the most powerful verses in Scripture is found in John’s gospel:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:1 ESV
As you keep reading, it becomes abundantly clear that the author, inspired by the Holy Spirit, identifies Jesus Christ as the “Word.”
From the first sentence in the Bible, we learn that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Now, John explains, “In the beginning was the Word…” And not only was Jesus there in the beginning, but “the Word was with God…” And not only was the Word with God, but “the Word was God.”
So if Jesus has existed from the beginning, if He was with God, and if He was God, then that makes Him much more than a good person, a moral teacher, or even a prophet.
John claims that Jesus is fully man and fully God. This seems ridiculous—unless, of course, it’s true.
The truth is, God loved the world so much that He gave up His divine privileges, was born into human skin, and died a criminal’s death—so that the people He loves could have eternal life. He loves you.
Remember: He’s not just another name from history, He’s the very Creator of life.
As His creation, you are special to God. Stop and ponder that for a few minutes. You are so special to Him and a real part of His plan that He never gives up on you. In fact, He pursues us with an everlasting love that just won’t quit. Life hurts, but God’s love is always there for you and always real.
I hope that you will join me this year in reading your Bible daily. There are all sorts of different reading plans on the YouVersion App which is what I use. This year, I am reading from Eden to Eternity and another one called The Bible Project: One Story that Leads to Jesus. Whatever plan you choose, I hope that you get closer to God, because the Creator who made you in the beginning wants to have a relationship with you.
Happy New Year and Happy Bible Reading!
God as Your Creator
Have you ever paused to reflect on God as your Creator?
God is unlike any other that is, was, or will be. He alone is able to fully sustain that which He creates. And He alone is able to create—miraculously orchestrating His purposes—merely by speaking it into existence.
But there’s more…
If you dig even deeper into the pages of Scripture, you learn about power by which God creates:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through him, all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made.
John 1:1-3
For in him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16
The writer of Hebrews assures us that, “by faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3 NIV).
This “Word” is Jesus Christ, and through Him, God brought everything into existence. The ultimate redemption of all God’s promises will come through that same Word—Jesus Christ.
Reflect on that truth for a moment: The same power that spoke the universe into existence is the same power that will bring about the redemption of all things promised.
Today, take some time to reflect on God’s role as Creator, and allow it to fill you with great hope. Because He’s not just any creator; He’s your Creator, and He holds the very universe—and your life—in His hands.
If you look up, you can see the sky and the clouds, the sun, moon and stars. God made all of them. If you look down, you can see the grass, flowers, trees all of the living creatures. God made all of them. How can anyone deny the existence of God when everything around us shows us His loving care? Even the rain that can be a nuisance when you have planned a beach trip is from God’s loving providence. The rain that annoys you makes the food in the fields grow. I am ever grateful for God’s creation and the way He has set an order to everything. I have only to look around me to see the proof of God’s loving kindness and tender care.
How can anyone look at all of the marvels of God’s creation and not believe in a Creator? The answer lies in their hearts. They have been deceived by science and man’s own desire to explain away God so that they can be God. Every day I marvel at something new that I see in God’s creation that I never noticed before, and I am thankful that He led me down the path of belief in Him and in His great power. There are so many mysteries in life, but the creation of the world is not one of them. “And God said…and it was good.”
May you be blessed today with feelings of awe and wonder at all God has created for us to enjoy. And may you, in turn, bless the Creator who gave each marvelous part of this world to us and desires to have a relationship with His greatest creation…you!
www.bible.com/reading-plans/11261/day/5
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 