Volume 45   Number 4                                                                                     December 2002

In Hebrews 1:10, we read these Words of truth: "And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:". Here we learn that God created everything we see, including the foundation. A foundation is the beginning of a house; the starting point. Though we move on from the foundation as we build, we must never leave it since it is the only thing that will support the rest of the structure. In building the house of our life, it is essential that we begin from the beginning, and constantly refer back to that beginning to ensure that our lives line up with the foundation.

Jesus Christ is described in Revelation 22:13; "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.". Can you see how great He is? Unless we begin from "The Beginning" by obeying Him, our lives will be crushed on the rocks of despair; drowned in the sorrows of this cruel world (Luke 6:47-49) like a house with no foundation. Knowing our Beginning will answer so many of the questions that come up in life. Genesis is the book of beginnings, and Jesus quoted from it when tempted by the Pharisees in Matthew 19:3-9 on the subject of divorce. Jesus answered their question by asking them if they had read about how things were "from the beginning." Of course they had read the passage in Genesis before, but had they been trying to build upon its truth about marriage? While Jesus acknowledged that Moses suffered "putting away" under the Law, this was not God's plan "from the beginning." Divorce is not God's answer for couples who encounter storms and waves while sailing on the ship of marriage! If both are willing to begin from the Beginning, the Master of the ocean can steer you clear of the violence of divorce and into the haven of His eternal love!

The church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-6) was a good church in so many respects, but the Lord had "somewhat against" them because they had left their first love! The solution for these brethren was not to divorce Jesus, but to begin from the beginning by remembering from where they had fallen, and do the first works! The zeal and enthusiasm we first experience in becoming a child of God, or in being married, can always be rekindled if we are willing to humble ourselves, as Jesus has said (Matthew 18:3,4). Just an ounce of "I'm sorry", is worth a pound of marriage counseling, and anyone who is not too proud can afford the prescription.

When we face trouble in this world, let's remember our foundation and see if our thoughts, words, and deeds are in line with our starting point. Begin from the Beginning, and you will never be disappointed! "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psalms 111:10)