Creation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
—Genesis 1:1-2
If you have ever told someone a story, you probably started at the beginning. After all, it’s a very good place to start…
Consider the first words in the Bible: In the beginning. What do you think of when you read those three words? Close your eyes and imagine what the world may have looked like in the beginning.
Maybe it's kind of a scary thought. If you keep reading Genesis, you’ll see the earth described as formless and empty. Darkness was over the surface of the deep. Yikes, right? That’s not exactly a hopeful image.
And yet, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
Ahh yes, hope! Possibility!
The beginning may start with emptiness and darkness, but there is a presence there. God. Creator. Alpha. And because of that presence, there is hope and possibility for what is about to happen. And, of course, God DELIVERS! Verse after verse, we see Creator God making new things out of that nothingness.
...light!
...sky!
...land + sea!
...plants + stars!
...animals!
Us. You.
God gave dimension, texture, shape, and life to what was once formless and empty. He said it, and it was so.
This is the story that transcends time. This is the story that includes ALL of us. Every tribe, nation, and tongue. It is bigger than all of us, yet it calls us each individually into its embrace.
This is the Gospel. And we’re just getting started!
At virtual Jubilee 2022, Ashlee Eiland welcomed us into the profound and mysterious possibility that we can all find in emptiness and formlessness. And she shares the great story of what God saw when in that possibility. Watch now and download the FREE question guide to dive deeper!
Want more from Ashlee? Check out her website and order her book Human(kind) from our favorite booksellers at Hearts & Minds!
If you find yourself scared of what is looking empty or formless in your life, it’s okay. Things can get really tough. Find comfort in the truth that the same God who created YOU created something out of nothing in the beginning. There is more to the story. There is possibility in the emptiness.
We’ll see you next week to continue the Gospel story with what comes next: the Fall.
Until then...peace,
—Your Jubilee Team