The Creative Word
Scripture Reading — Psalm 33:6-9
In the beginning was the Word. . . . Through him all things were made.
The Bible doesn’t focus on the mechanisms of creation, the processes that formed planets, plankton, and platypuses. Instead the Bible points us to the voice of God: “He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:9). In other words, the vast universe, the solid ground beneath our feet, and the life that surrounds us—all of it results from God’s express purpose and intention.
The psalm says that everything was made “by the word of the Lord” (Psalm 33:6). The opening of the book of John picks up on that theme: “In the beginning was the Word. . . . Through him all things were made.” And the Word is Jesus. Jesus is God’s great purpose and intention.
The story of creation, as the Bible tells it, is this. Through the Word, God makes a home where the Word will come to live. John describes this a bit later, saying, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).
One of our daughters sent a picture from her visit to the Grand Canyon. How can we not stand in amazement before that? How can we not glorify God for that? But as awesome as God’s creation is, even more awesome is this: the Son of God visits us within this creation and becomes one of us. How can we not glorify God for that?
Jesus, you are God’s great purpose and intention. All things have been created in you, through you, and for you (Colossians 1:16). Help us to be “for you” in every way. Amen.
About the author — Bob Arbogast
Bob Arbogast is the pastor of Celebration Fellowship church in Ionia, Michigan. In his spare time, he plays guitar in a West Michigan blues band. He and his wife Jan have been married forty years and have three adult daughters. Bob has been praying the psalms since 2002.
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