Something Went Wrong-But God has a Purpose

October 16 – God’s Creative Purpose and What Went Wrong– Genesis 1:1-2:35; Revelation 21:1-5,22-27 ; 22:1-5 and Genesis 3:1-13

When we look at Scripture, we do not always get the big picture. The purpose of this time spent in Scripture is to understand and experience ourselves as part of God’s mission (missio Dei) to reach and rescue creation with a loving purpose. This mission is consummated by God. In other

words, God will complete what God starts.

Read Genesis 1:1-2:35 and Revelation 21:1-5, 22-27; 22:1-5.

Revelation 21:1-5  21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

We have a purpose: to love God and one another and to care for creation. We make a mistake when we begin the biblical story with sin. Our story does not begin or end with sin and

brokenness. Our story begins with goodness and beauty and ends with goodness and beauty being restored. Our mission to our community would change if we truly lived into the good news that God not only created this good and beautiful world, but God is also restoring creation. Believing this, we would treat one another with more grace and be better stewards of creation. Perhaps then, people beyond the faith community would experience people of faith as people on

a mission to rescue and restore a good but broken world. Maybe, just maybe, we would dispel the stereotype that Christians are known more for what we are against than what we are for.

Enjoy and pray about the goodness you see in other people and in all of creation. Remember God has created a good creation and is restoring creation even now. Think about how this knowledge can make a difference in how your church and community.  Take the time every day to thank God for the good things in your life, church, community, and world, such as family, Bible study, serving a neighbor, mentoring, and walking in the woods.  When faced with the pains of this world, remember that God will restore not only the spiritual, but the physical realm as well.

Even though creation started off as good, it is important to claim as part of our story that creation is broken by sin. How we address sin is critical to our understanding of the mission of the church. 

If sin is missing the mark, what does it means to you to miss the mark. How have you missed the mark? What are the ways in which you have experienced grace? How has that grace changed your life?

Spend some time in prayer. How has forgiveness set you free? What are the consequences of sin? From what and for what are we saved? How does Jesus going to the cross provide the answer to the sin question?  Reflect upon and pray about the things in your life that you want God to change. What do you need to give over to God so that you can experience strength and guidance? Your job? A relationship? Inner conflict? Some area in your life in which you have missed the mark?