“太初有道，… 万物是藉着他造的。” - 约 1:1-3

圣经记载天地的创造时，并不注重创造的方法，例如，行星、浮游生物、和鸭嘴兽形成的过程；圣经乃是引领我们把注意力放在神说的话上：“他说有，就有；命立，就立”（诗篇 33:9）。换句话说，广阔浩瀚的宇宙、我们脚下的地土、和我们周围所有的生物 － 完全都是源于神所命定的目的和计划。

诗篇说万物都是“藉耶和华的命而造”（诗篇 33:6）；约翰福音开卷时也继续循着这个主题说：“太初有道，道与神同在， … 万物是藉着他造的。”这道就是耶稣，耶稣是神最伟大的目的和计划。

这就是圣经记载的创造叙事。藉着这道，神造了一个让道住在其中的家园。约翰后来就此这样描述：“道成了肉身，住在我们中间”（约翰福音 1:14）。

我们的一个女儿发来一张她游览大峡谷时拍的照片。我们看了怎能不深感惊叹呢？我们岂能不为此归荣耀与神呢？神的创造如此令人惊叹，然而还有一件事却更令人惊叹：神的儿子降临世上住在我们中间，成为我们中的一员。我们岂能不因此归荣耀与神呢？

祷告

耶稣啊，你是神最伟大的目的和计划。万物都是在你里面被造、藉着你被造、也是为你而造的（歌罗西书 1:16）。求你帮助我们凡事都“为你”而做。阿们。

诗篇 33:6-9

6诸天藉耶和华的命而造，万象藉他口中的气而成。
7他聚集海水如垒，收藏深洋在库房。
8愿全地都敬畏耶和华，愿世上的居民都惧怕他。
9因为他说有，就有；命立，就立。

The Creative Word

"In the beginning was the Word. . . . Through him all things were made." - John 1:1-3

The Bible doesn't focus on the mechanisms of creation, the processes that formed planets, plankton, and platypuses. Instead the Bible points us to the voice of God: "He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm" (Psalm 33:9). In other words, the vast universe, the solid ground beneath our feet, and the life that surrounds us—all of it results from God's express purpose and intention.

The psalm says that everything was made "by the word of the LORD" (Psalm 33:6). The opening of the book of John picks up on that theme: "In the beginning was the Word. . . . Through him all things were made." And the Word is Jesus. Jesus is God's great purpose and intention.

The story of creation, as the Bible tells it, is this. Through the Word, God makes a home where the Word will come to live. John describes this a bit later, saying, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14).

One of our daughters sent a picture from her visit to the Grand Canyon. How can we not stand in amazement before that? How can we not glorify God for that? But as awesome as God's creation is, even more awesome is this: the Son of God visits us within this creation and becomes one of us. How can we not glorify God for that?

Prayer

Jesus, you are God's great purpose and intention. All things have been created in you, through you, and for you (Colossians 1:16). Help us to be "for you" in every way. Amen.