1 In the Beginning

In the Beginning

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ––Galatians 4:4–5

In the beginning. . . . -ose are powerful words. We celebrate beginnings––new life, new commitments, new opportunities––because beginnings open up a world of possibilities for us. -e Bible begins with those words and includes one more––in the beginning, God. -e account in Genesis is more than just about creation––it’s about the Creator. And the beginning of Genesis is not about God’s beginning because He is eternal. He was before the world and He will be forever. God, the Creator began with nothing but a plan. From nothing, He created something and gave it form and structure. He created the world and the universe to operate in order, not chaos. His creation was not a spur of the moment thing––it was planned to perfection. In His time, He has created, He has loved, He has redeemed, and He waits with anticipation for the time when all His plans will .nally be ful.lled.

Read Galatians 4:4–7. Paul also re/ected on God the Creator’s plan. -e words, when the fullness of time had come,

are more than a statement of taking the next step of a plan. -e Greek word for “fullness” can be understood as completion (doing what it takes to .nish something) or repleteness (having something in abundance). God waited for the right time, the perfect time, before He sent His Son to the world. -is was planned from the beginning and was intentional. It couldn’t have been without pain and sacri.ce on His part. God sent His one and only Son, the unique Son of God, to become man, to love us as God already loves us, and to suffer extraordinarily for us so we could accept God’s grace. In God’s plan and in His timing, He sent His Son to take on our sin as His own.

Re/ect on the fact that God sent His only Son for you. What does His willingness to sacri.ce His own Son teach you about how God feels about you?

-ink about God’s plan in the beginning. How do you see Advent as part of God’s overall plan?

As you pray, confess your con.dence in the fullness of God’s plan through the birth of Jesus, and thank Him that through His birth, Jesus has redeemed you and restored you to His Father.