That Essential Good Start

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5

The Gospel of John begins so beautifully. It tells of two beginnings: the beginning of Creation when all that God saw was very good, and it tells of our rebirth in Christ when His work is made perfect in us. Did you just doubt there? I did.

The doubting we have in this world does not diminish Christ's perfect work in us. The flesh and the powers of this world will cast doubt at us, and too often we fall for it. We doubt the words of Jesus on the cross, "It is finished!" A man doing the usual crucifixion as punishment for crimes might have said, "I am finished." Jesus as we know was doing a larger work, saving the world. Jesus our Lord concluded a great work on the cross; of course the grave couldn't hold Him! Our rebirth in Christ has that essential good start: the work of Jesus completed at the cross.

Why did Peter begin to sink into the waters? He looked at himself and the world as he saw it, and in doing so took his eyes off the Savior and put his doubt ahead of his faith. We do the same in many ways daily. Looking to satisfy the flesh, we doubt His promise of eternity. But in Christ we have that essential good start, and that will see us through to the finish. Our Lord is the great overcomer, and nothing in this world can prevent Him from bringing us home. Our salvation rests in Christ alone! Doubts will be shattered and left by the wayside as faith in Him restores our confidence built on His work. We cannot become lost again when the Good Shepherd has found us.

Amen. Come Lord Jesus!
Bucky