Listen to today’s reading:

Full Count Ministries · Dec 1 | Jesus Redeems Our Selfishness | Creation of the Cosmos

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

Colossians 1:16

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Today’s Reading:

In God’s grace, he has given us a history through the writings of his people about our world to show us who created everything and why. The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth, everything we see and experience. He made the sun, moon, stars, plants, birds, fish… all things. This is written in Genesis 1.

Let’s begin Advent by remembering our God as Creator, because it has huge implications for us as people. To start, let’s think about this: how easy is it to say something like, “can you hand me my bat?” or “that’s my glove over there.” It’s second nature, right? These example statements may be a little trivial, but our posture toward the true owner of “our things” helps us remember who God is.

We are selfish people. The more we live day-to-day life in our world, it is so easy to forget God as the rightful owner of all things on earth and in heaven. No, God isn’t frowning every time we use the word “my,” but we believe that there is so much to be gained in our walk with Christ by remembering God in this way and taking care of of the things that he has lent us. Colossians 1:16 says, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Since everything was made through him, everything is his, and the Bible continues from there to say that everything is for him as well. Then, it follows, that we are also made for him too – although we have the ability (and overwhelmingly choose) to love and serve ourselves with his good creation much more often than him and others.

This is sin.

However, God is still so, so good to us. Everything is his, and he willfully choses to give to his children abundantly. Jesus chose to come to earth to live, love, serve, suffer, die, and rise - atoning for sinful man. He is a humble and selfless Lord. Through the work of the Holy Spirit now, Jesus is redeeming us from our selfishness into his selfless image-bearers.

Today’s Prayer Guide:

Praise – Acknowledge Jesus as the rightful owner of all created things and thank him for the things he has allowed us to use on his behalf for the kingdom.

Confession – Ask God to forgive us for our selfish mentality – misusing his created things and denying the purpose for which we were created.

Ask – Ask God to help us do what we were created to do: to glorify and rejoice in him as created beings. Ask him to give us wisdom as we navigate a world created by him and for him.