New set of colored pencils . . . new copy of my reading plan . . . fresh, unmarked ESV bible . . . a renewed anticipation . . . and the journey begins again. It’s the time of year . . . to reflect . . . to take stock . . . to consider afresh how you’re ordering your steps . . . to ask, “What do I need to start doing more of? . . . What do I need to stop doing and reduce some clutter? . . . What do I need to continue to passionately pursue?” For me, it can be a bit of an emotional roller-coaster as I take inventory . . . some regrets . . . some “I coulda’ shoulda'” . . . leading to a bit of a pit in my stomach. But one thing that leaves no regrets . . . one of the things that I need to continue to passionately pursue . . . is the living Word of God. Any time spent in this book is well invested time. It is how I hear His voice . . . interact with His Spirit . . . and know the reality of relationship through His Son. Here’s a few random thoughts from my reading in “the beginnings” this morning.

“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth . . . ” (Gen. 1:1). Couple of things I focus on as I read the first couple of chapters of Genesis. One, that God is an active God . . . He creates . . . He makes . . . He sees . . . He speaks. Second, that when God makes something it is good . . . it is very good. Debate the hows all you want . . . the Who of creation is the point of the passage. My God is the Creator of all things . . . and He is the Re-creator of that which has been spoiled by pride and sin. And when God creates . . . and when He recreates . . . behold, it is good. Not that I am good in and of myself . . . but the work God has begun in me is good . . . the new creation I am in Christ is good . . . and, by His grace, it will be for His glory.

Then I read Matthew 1, the beginnings of Christ as His genealogy is recounted. And, as I always do, I take note of the ladies in particular. Tamar . . . Rahab . . . Ruth . . . “the wife of Uriah” . . . Mary. And for me, it just echoes of God’s amazing grace . . . it declares God’s intention to fulfill His promise through some of the most unlikely situations and people. From the sordid tales of Tamar and Bathsheba . . . to the harlot who would be rescued, redeemed, and written into the line of Messiah . . . to the innocent Ruth and Mary whose lives were intricately woven into that of a Kinsman-Redeemer. All these ladies speak of God’s sovereign purposes . . . of His unconditional promises . . . and of His gracious presence in the lives of individuals . . . again, for His glory.

Then it’s onto the first 11 verses of Acts 1 . . . the beginnings of the Church. Jesus is alive . . . the disciples are told to wait for the promise . . . the coming of the Spirit is foretold. And though they will “receive power,” you can’t but help think that Jesus is taking a bit of risk in leaving them to “be My witnesses.” Or is He? Back to Genesis 1 . . . my God is the Creator of good stuff. Back to Matthew 1 . . . my God fulfills His purposes and promises in sometimes unlikely ways and always through less-than-perfect people. And so, with the promise of the Holy Spirit to come, Jesus is taken up out of the disciples sight. But this too is with a promise . . . why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11 ESV)

And finally, my last reading of the morning . . . the beginnings of blessing . .

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2 ESV)

There is a blessing promised for those who delight in God’s word. I’m not much of a night meditator . . . but how I enjoy the time in the morning when I can hover over His precious Word . . . and by His grace, and through His Spirit, His word can work its way through me. The promise of blessing is found in the image of a deep-rooted tree which drinks deeply of living water . . . found in leaf which doesn’t whither and, in fact, bears much fruit . . . found in hands that are occupied for God’s glory and thus prosper in that which God has determined. Blessed is the God who blesses the man who delights in His word.

Not a bad set of beginnings . . . looking forward, Lord willing, to working through the reading plan over the next year.

. . . by His grace . . . for His glory . . .