Doubts or questions about what the future holds should be eased by the simple, powerful, unequivocal statement that opens the Scriptures: In the beginning, God!
The familiar words are compelling in their brevity. The powerful majesty of creation is sketched with a slightly fuller brush in following chapters, but the intent of the blunt declaration made at the outset is unmistakable and unapologetic: God is in charge!
This answers every other question. If the God of the Bible created the universe, what foolishness indulges speculation about His ability to part the Red Sea? Or raise the dead? Or take on human form and heal the sick and rebuke the winds and walk on water? Who would doubt that He is equally able to superintend over the lives of those who entrust themselves to His care? And who would dare challenge His right to demand obedience and submission from all He has created?
Yet some seek the abdication of God by questioning His power and His will and even His existence so that they can rule in His place. Genesis 3:1 records an evil adversary planting a doubt about the Creator’s intent and authority. Sooner or later the same question is posed to each of us. While it takes many forms, in essence it is this: Is Scripture trustworthy? Has God spoken? Have His words been accurately recorded? The intent is to have us believe that there is no complete and true revelation of the Creator God and His will for us.
We have a choice, to believe and respond to the Word of God as recorded in the Bible, or to believe something else. Or nothing. However, we should be aware that God has little patience with those who willfully ignore Him, declaring that they have no excuse because He reveals Himself both in the written word and in nature itself. The Creator has engraved His signature indelibly on His creation – most notably, on the hearts and minds of creation’s pinnacle, the human. Those who willfully choose to regard this Truth as a quaint fable and ignore the challenge to acknowledge and submit to God will not escape the day they must answer for their decision.