“In the beginning God …” – Genesis 1:1

These four words are perhaps the most familiar words in Scripture. They certainly are appropriate for they adequately reveal WHO started it all. In the beginning of time God was the immovable Mover, the infinite Beginner, the reason of Causation, the inevitable Agent of Change. In the beginning God!

Not only is God all those things, but He is the Master of new beginnings. For example, when a believer comes to the cross and accepts Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior, God, in the form of Holy Spirit, not only indwells that person but begins to change their very nature. Like a caring Shepherd, He leads them to greener pastures to live a life of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, life is full of continuous change. We all experience change, whether it’s leaving the security of home to embark on a life of independence, accepting a new job or uniting your life with the spouse of your dreams, change is inevitable.

Whatever change you may be facing I want you to remember these four powerful words of Scripture, “In the beginning God …”  God is always available to be with you in your change. Ask for His involvement and then be willing to accept His guidance. Then you will be able to say things like,

“In the beginning God prompted me to move to Denver to start a new job with my family and kids.”

“In the beginning God gave me grace and peace to know that I would be protected as I embarked on my life of independence.”

“In the beginning God confirmed in my heart that he/she should be my life partner.”

I encourage you to invite God to come along with you no matter what changes you are embarking on. Ask Him to be involved with you and increase your faith to step into the unknown knowing full well that He has your front and backside. It’s what the Israelites did when they were led out of Egypt, what the disciples did when Jesus was resurrected and I believe it’s what God is calling you and me to do, to trust Him.

I know you will agree that “doing” life with God is more enjoyable than doing it without Him. It is more joyous, peaceful and fulfilling than living life in seclusion away from Him. So go ahead, hold His hand and let Him lead you into a wilderness that He is familiar with; let Him guide you to the Promised Land. After all, He is the Master of new beginnings!

Questions to Ponder:

1. Life change is often tied to the analogy of closing one door and opening another. Closing one door in your life is often difficult, mainly due to the comfort level we all enjoy and don’t want to lose. Likewise, opening an unfamiliar door is often scary due to fear of the unknown. What change(s) have you experienced in the past?
2. What change(s) did the apostles experience …
   When Jesus ascended to Heaven?
   When Jesus told them to go into cities proclaiming the Gospel without money or food?
3. Asking God to be with you during change requires faith. What areas are you willing to trust God in during times of change?

Recommended Reading:

I read the book Who Moved My Cheese? several years ago. It is not a Christian book but does have good advice for dealing with change. It can be purchased from our Affiliate Partner at the link below. It currently comes in hardcover, as an ebook, and as an audio CD. They also carry Who Moved My Cheese? For Kids which is geared toward children ages 4 – 8 and Who Moved My Cheese? For Teens which is geared toward 10 – 14 years olds.

Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson Who Moved My Cheese? takes the fear and anxiety out of managing the future and shows us a simple way to successfully deal with the changing times, providing us with a method for moving ahead with our work and lives safely and effectively.