Something out of nothing
Daily Scripture
Genesis 1:1-2
1 When God began to create[a] the heavens and the earth— 2 the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters—
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Picture a photograph still sitting in the developing tray, the paper blank, nothing visible yet, but the image is already there, already forming, just not yet in a manner anyone could point to. That’s close to the picture Genesis paints before anything existed: formlessness, darkness, and the Spirit present and at work long before there was anything to show for it by hovering over it.
That order matters. The Spirit didn’t wait for the waters to look like something first. The Spirit was there before the waters had existed at all. That’s not just true of the first creation, it’s true of you. Long before you were reaching for God, or even aware there was a God to reach for, the Spirit was already hovering over the formless, unfinished parts of your life. There’s likely a place in your life right now that still feels blank, undeveloped, waiting on something you can’t name yet. It’s tempting to treat that as a problem to solve before God gets involved. Genesis says the opposite: God was already there, working, before you ever noticed the emptiness.
- What part of your life currently feels formless or undeveloped, like a photograph still in the tray? What would it mean to believe the Spirit was already at work there before you ever asked for help?
- Where do you find yourself rushing other people’s unfinished seasons, expecting them to look more resolved before you’ll be patient with them? What would it look like to extend them the same “already there before it’s visible” grace God extends you?
Prayer
Creator God, some parts of my life still feel formless, unfinished, hard to explain even to myself. Thank you for hovering over the unfinished places rather than waiting for me to clean them up first. Amen.
GPS Insights
Blake Thomas
“It goes by fast.” Those were the words people kept telling me when my wife and I announced we were having our first baby. At first, I didn’t believe them. Now, after celebrating our daughter’s third birthday this weekend, I finally understand what they meant.
Somehow, three years have passed in what feels like the blink of an eye. One moment I was rocking a newborn to sleep. Now I’m listening to a threenager confidently singing every word of “Let It Go” from Frozen. If I could pause time, I would.
Not only have I learned so much from my daughter over the past three years, but I’ve also learned a lot about myself. I never could have predicted the fear I’d feel the first time we rushed her to the emergency room. I never could have imagined the pride of receiving my first homemade Father’s Day gift. And I certainly couldn’t have predicted her personality—silly, strong-willed, compassionate, and full of endless energy.
So much about parenting has been unpredictable, and in many ways, it has reminded me of how the Holy Spirit works.
In Genesis 1, before anything is created, we’re told that “God’s wind swept over the waters.” Before there was light, land, or life, God’s Spirit was already present—hovering over the chaos with purpose and possibility. It’s our first glimpse of the Holy Spirit in Scripture: mysterious, intentional, and faithfully active.
As the story of Scripture unfolds, we continue to see the Spirit at work through people, creation, and unexpected moments. Sometimes God’s movement is unmistakable. Other times, it requires patience and trust before we recognize what God has been doing all along.
Life is much the same.
As I watch my daughter grow, I realize I’ve only witnessed a small glimpse of what God will do in her life—and in mine. There are countless moments still ahead that I cannot predict but can trust God with.
I encourage you not to miss what the Spirit is doing right in front of you. We can’t rush God’s work, and in three years we might wish we had recognized more of the Holy Spirit’s movement in our lives. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation is still hovering over the ordinary moments of your life today, quietly creating something beautiful that you may not fully recognize until years from now.
