Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day. (Genesis 1:14-19, NLT)
Happy New Year! Today marks the beginning of the year 2020. That seemed so far out in the future when I was a child and now here it is. Seasons, days, and years. I wrapped up reading through the Bible yesterday in Revelation 20-22. What a high note to finish 2019 on. I really enjoyed reading through chronologically last year and I am planning on doing the same again this year, though I will be using the New Living Translation to switch it up a bit. This is not a translation I rely on for study, but for ease of read and a fresh look at Scripture I like it from time to time. I want to mention too that reading the Bible through chronologically helped me to see a lot of things in a new light. Seeing the interconnectedness of what can seem like just random bits and pieces scattered throughout the Bible gave me a thrill to be quite honest.
Now back to today's reading...
One of the things that caught my attention in this very familiar section on the creation was the sentence, "And that is what happened." God spoke and that is what happened. It brought to mind a line from a song from many years ag that I began to sing, "You spoke the words and all the worlds came into order." Our God is amazing, not just becuase He spoke and brought everyting into being, but even more because of the love He has for His people. A love so full of His amazing grace that I sit here today in awe and wonder at who He is.
Because of Who You Are by Sandi Patti
You spoke the words and all the worlds came into order
You waved your hands and planets filled the empty skies
You placed the woman and the man inside the garden
And though they fell they found compassion in your eyes
Oh Lord I stand amazed at the wonder of your deeds
And yet a greater wonder brings me to my knees
Lord I praise you, Because of who you are
Not just for all the mighty things that you have done
Lord I worship you, because of who you are
You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise
Because of who you are
One holy night you brought the promise from a virgin
And promise grew as he revealed to us your heart
Enduring love displayed throughout his Crucifixion
And in the dark, you tore the grave and death apart
Lord I praise you, Because of who you are
Not just for all the mighty things that you have done
Lord I worship you, because of who you are
You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise
Because of who you are….you are.