One of the most important lessons I learned as a Christian was how to hear God speaking to me. On my Youth With A Mission (Ywam) Discipleship Training School (DTS), we spent a whole week learning and practicing hearing the voice of God, based on teachings by Joy Dawson, and reading her book. It has been one of the most powerful and transformational spiritual practices I have learned as a Christian, along with how to read and study my Bible. If you have never learned how to listen for and identify God’s voice speaking in your heart, then you need to start learning how to do this today!

Lately, I have been struggling to hear what God has been saying to me. I think it’s tied up with my other struggles – what does he want me to do in the job I am doing? It may be that I have been focusing too much on myself, and asking the questions I have for Him, instead of listening with an open mind and heart.

Today’s passage reminded me that everything began with God speaking, and is sustained by his Word. God speaks 15 times in these opening verses:
“God said…” nine times, “God called…” four times, “God blessed…” twice. Throughout creation, God spoke, and when He spoke, things were created, called, and blessed. And God sees that it is good.

This encourages me, because God continues to speak, and when He speaks, things continue to be created, called, and blessed.

I’m in the job I am today because “God said…” and spoke a vision into being in my heart to help the poor and those in debt to find financial freedom, and although I can’t see how it will be worked out, I can trust that what He creates is good.

Five times we see in Genesis the phrase “God called”:

Gen 1:5 God called the light ‘day’
Gen 1:5 …the darkness He called ‘night’.
Gen 1:8 God called the vault ‘sky’
Gen 1:10 God called the dry ground ‘land’
Gen 1:10 …the gathered waters He called ‘sea’

After He speaks things into being (“God said…”), God defines them when He ‘calls’ them day, night, sky, land, and sea.

Twice we see the phrase “God blessed them”. In verse 25, of the living creatures, when he tells them to be fruitful and multiply, and of mankind, when He takes that blessing, and includes it to include a call of stewardship.

God creates, God calls, and God blesses.

“God…” I looked it up. In these first 34 verses, the word used for God is “Elohim” It is used 34 times in Genesis 1:1-2:3, and the basic meaning of it is one of strength, power, and majesty. It is a plural word, but refers to one God. Some have suggested that it is used to indicate the trinity (plurality in unity). In the light of John 1:1, that makes perfect sense.

This encourages me too, because it reminds me that no matter what I am going through, or what struggles I wrestle with, God is almighty, majestic, powerful. Although I may feel I can’t, Elohim certainly can.

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that when you speak, you bring things into being that were not there before – you create. Thank you for allowing me to share in what you have created.

Thank you for reminding me that while I might not understand or know what is happening, or why, when you call, you give definition, meaning, and understanding to the the things you have called into being. Help me to understand what you have called into being in my life.

Thank you for blessing me, even when I can’t see or don’t feel the blessing. Help me to walk in oberdience to you each day, and as I do, may you open my eyes to see your blessing, and my heart to understand and appreciate it.

Thank you for your living word.

Amen.