Void
I have always been impressed by people who are artistically gifted with their hands; those such as sculptors and painters have the ability to create something incredibly alluring by utilizing relatively small amounts of resources in comparison to the striking beauty that radiates from their works. However, even the greatest artist needs to start with something: Michelangelo required a slab of marble to chisel out La Pieta and he utilized the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to paint a 12,000 square feet masterpiece; Claude Monet, the great French impressionist, needed canvas and paint to create his 250 piece Water Lilies collection. The most gifted humans cannot create ex nihilo–out of nothing.
The only being who has the power to create something out of nothing is God himself. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created…” The only thing God had to work with was void, formlessness, nothingness–a far cry from Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, or Florida beaches which are prime examples of God’s unique creative power.
During this Christmas season we are reminded once again about God’s ability to create something incredibly beautiful out of the void. Christ the babe was born of a virgin.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:30-35)
Whenever you are tempted to doubt the reality or power of God, just reflect upon:
*the beauty of nature around you–and realize it was created out of nothing
*the wonder of Christmas–that it is made possible because a virgin gave birth
*the experience of new life and forgiveness–made possible because the Christ child grew up, died on the cross, and then rose from the dead–triumphantly communicating to the world once and for all that something Beautiful can truly come from nothing. Life emerged from the grave.
Be encouraged today in your life journey, for with Christ there is the wonderful potential built into each day to experience his ongoing creative work. God moves in the mundane; the Spirit speaks in the silence; the Christ child cries out for our hearts to be connected to his. If your life feels like a batch of nothingness, take heart, for Jesus is present to create a beautiful–and wonderful life.