DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017
Day One and the Creation of Light
Eric Metaxas argued in a Wall Street Journal editorial that science “makes the case for God.” At least 200 factors must occur for a planet to support life. If even one is missing, biological life is impossible. Despite the size of the universe, the odds are against even one planet supporting life, much less intelligent life. These natural odds point to the more reasonable explanation of a supernatural Designer.
God began His improbable work with the creation of light. The only reason we know anything about it is because God revealed it in Scripture. Genesis records that “the earth was formless and empty” (v. 2). “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters,” according to one study Bible, like an eagle watching over young ones learning to fly.
Into the “darkness [that] was over the surface of the deep” burst God’s command: “Let there be light” (v. 3). Only the Lord Himself could say and do such a thing (see Isa. 45:18)! In fact, the Hebrew verb translated as “create” is used only for divine (not human) activity in Scripture, which highlights His sovereign power.
The creation of light indicates not only God’s power but also a newly created potential for life and order, as seen in His separating light from darkness (v. 4) and naming the time periods “day” and “night” (v. 5). No wonder He called it “good”!
Best of all, the same God who created light also gave us the light of His salvation: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).
APPLY THE WORD
If you can, why not watch a sunrise this week? As the sun’s rays wing across the sky and light bursts into the darkness, you might also review the biblical story of creation and that awe-inspiring first command, “Let there be light.” The beauty of God’s creation should always spur us to worship, but too often we do not take the time to see.
Today in the Word is a production of Moody Global Ministries
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