NEXT UP: The Beginning Matters
In the second part of our NEXT UP: Why Does This Matter? series I want to talk about why the beginning matters. In case you missed the first part, you can click here to read.
I have often enjoyed the Indiana Jones movies. My favorite was “The Last Crusade.” The plot of this adventurous movie was to locate the holy grail. It was thought the grail possessed the power to give eternal youth to those who drank from it. Indiana Jones desired to find the grail to keep it from falling into the hands of those that would use its power for personal gain or for evil intentions. As the plot developed, Indiana Jones needed to recover the grail to save his dying father, who also had dedicated most of his life to finding the grail. He had a journal within which he kept all he had learned about the whereabouts and potential power of the grail.
One of the key pieces of data to the location of the grail was a vividly descriptive, detailed map. It even identified the location – the Valley of the Crescent Moon. However, despite tremendous detail, the map was useless: it didn’t show the starting point.
The beginning provides context for everything that follows. Without a beginning (or a wrong beginning), everything falls apart. We cannot divorce ourselves from the beginning of our world and understand the integrity of what remains. We cannot disregard the beginning without catastrophic implications.
This is precisely what the serpent accomplished in Genesis 3. God had established and communicated truth with Adam and Eve. The serpent challenged that truth and offered a perverted version of the truth. The serpent did this with one simple question; “Did God really say…?” He challenged the truth of the beginning; man took the bait and fell.
Our challenge today is to not simply set out on a random journey in life, but to make sure we have a firm and sound starting point. There exists no better “map” for our lives than God’s written Word. The Bible gives us the wisdom, guidance, and direction we need to make sure our feet are firmly planted on the path He has established for us. Pursue life. Start with Scripture as your compass and guide.
