Beginnings
What do you do at the beginning of a journey?
Verse of the Day
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.”
Today’s Devotional
Last year, my husband and I were in Oregon for a work conference. We had the opportunity to explore by ourselves one of the days, and we found a hike to a waterfall that was going to take several hours to complete. At that time, I was still recovering from surgery, and this was going to be the first physical challenge I tried as my body was healing. I remember that as we pulled into the parking lot, I paused and took a deep breath before we set off on our adventure. The hike was long, and somewhat challenging, and totally worth the effort.
Today is the pause.
There are many new beginnings in our lives. A new job. A new church. A new home. New relationships. And, like today, a new year. Today’s invitation is to pause at the beginning of this new year and take a look around, take a deep breath, acknowledge God’s presence, and make sure our focus is correct before we step into this year.
So how do we do this?
Let’s read today’s verses again.
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.”
And then in the beginning of the Bible, it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
If we look at these 2 passages together, we see that the presence of God is acknowledged in the beginning of everything. Because God has no beginning and no end.
That seems like a great way to pause at the beginning of this new year. We pause to acknowledge the presence of our God.
“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” (Psalms 139:7-10)
“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” (Psalms 100:1-5)
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalms 16:11)
If we use these verses as our guide, we see that there is power in admitting that God is, in fact, God. There is beauty in each of us acknowledging His Lordship over our lives. We see that His presence is cause for joy, singing, praise, worship, and thanksgiving. What a beautiful way to pause at the beginning of any journey to acknowledge the Creator of all things and the Sustainer of all things. He is God. He is here right now. His presence is cause for joy. He will be with you for every step of your day today, every day of this year, and every moment that you exist. That fact is worthy of pausing to meditate on.
God is. And God is with you. And God is for you. May you receive this truth deep into your mind, heart, and soul as you step into a new year that the Lord has made.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Listen to this song and write about how you can invite an awareness of God’s presence into your life.
What can you do today, right now, to acknowledge the presence of God?
How can you pause at the beginning of this year to focus on God?
Write out your praise, worship, and thanksgiving to God for His presence in your life.
What are your dreams for your relationship with God this year?