10 16 07 In the Beginning III
(A New Beginning)

“Where were you
when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding. Who set its measurements – if you know –or who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its bases set, or who laid its cornerstone –” (Job 38:4-6)

No matter whom we are, how wise we are, or what our reputation may be, at times we all need a little conversation with the Lord to remind us of our beginnings and Who was there! At times we get a little too comfortable with ourselves, thinking we have it all together, and we begin to blame God and everyone for things that go wrong, or even the simple misfortunes. We forget we are sinners, living among sinners, living in a sin-damaged world. We come face to face with Holy God (spiritually speaking) and as Job found out, all we can do is listen and be humbled! God has to bring us back to His reality at times. We all need A NEW BEGINNING from time to time. We must brace ourselves indeed!

“Jesus answered, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?’” (John 3:10)

Again, here in John this time, a respected leader of the society is at a crossroads with the Lord. This time Jesus addresses Nicodemus; a Pharisee, a teacher of the Law, a member of the Jewish ruling counsel (the Sanhedrin) and a moral, religious man. Though he knew of God and about God and all His attributes and all He had done, he did not really know God! He had one of those face to face encounters and faced with A NEW BEGINNING.

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, You must all be born from above’.” (John 3:5-7)

Here’s the reality we al face today: though we may not come face to face with God in direct conversation (like Job) or converse with Jesus as Nicodemus did, we all have an initial decision to make. Are we born-again? Have we confessed our sinful nature before God, accepted the blood sacrifice of the Savior on the cross to wipe away our sin and allowed the Spirit of God into our hearts to change us? To truly know God, we must be washed clean and Spirit –filled! It takes A NEW BEGINNING!

Though we are once forgiven, once saved, once given the Holy Spirit of God, at times we all need to revisit the NEW BEGINNING. We won’t see the Lord until the day we are called home, but we will experience Him often in life. We’ll feel His embrace in a summer breeze. We’ll sense His power in the waves of the ocean. We’ll observe His splendor in a sunset. We receive His grace as we accept His forgiveness. All this comes as we seek His face daily. The more we run from God, the more we risk an encounter with Him (like Job and Nicodemus)!

Here’s some good and Godly advice we all need to follow daily: Never think too highly of ourselves. Keep others’ needs above our personal wishes. Always put God’s will first. Spiritually speaking, it’s good to have A NEW BEGINNING every morning!