Day 2: Who Is God?

                              In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
                                                       Genesis 1:1

Today was the first day of Vacation Bible School here at Pine Ridge.  VBS here is much different that any that may happen at our home church.  Most of the children who attend our home church VBS at least have a basic knowledge of the Bible and Jesus.  If you ask them to turn to Matthew 10:5 they can probably find their way to the passage eventually with very little help.  But here on the Rez biblical knowledge is hard to come by.

Jerry and I taught the teenagers today and as far as biblical knowledge and foundation it was very minimal.  So, we started from the beginning: what the Bible is, how to find a passage in the Bible, why we read the Bible, etc.  Our lesson this morning was focused on creation and the Creator.  And the best place to start on this topic is in the beginning.

Genesis 1:1 is very clear.  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  In the beginning God was.  He was not born and he will never die.  He was here before time began and he will be here when time is ended.  And everything that is in this world was created by God.

It is very easy for me to go to church each Sunday morning, spend time daily reading scripture and praying to God, and focus my energy on the ministry of God at FBC.  But how many times have I been in awe before God where I cannot say a word because of his awesomeness.  When I pray to God do I remember that this God I'm speaking to has been around forever?  He's been around before forever even began.  This is the Creator of the universe that because of Christ I can have a personal, intimate relationship with him.  And this God who created all things can take time out of his day to care about and for me.  This small human on a small planet in a giant universe and he cares about me.  How awesome is that?

When we explained the concept of God's foreverness (my term) to these teenagers their eyes told the story of what was happening in their minds.  It was inconceivable to them that this would be true.  But it is true.  And I know this God and he knows me.  Why?  I will never truly understand.  Other than the fact that I am his and he has saved me.  I am his child because of his Son.

My hope is that not a day goes by that his awesomeness and my relationship with him do not bring me to my knees in praise and worship of his great name.  He is God and I am his.  Thanks be to God.