5-14-2024

Good Morning All,

          Genesis 1:2; “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

    One thing that I would encourage you to try is to look at the Scriptures in their original language. The Old Testament is in Hebrew and the New Testament is in Greek. Where our English offers the message, the original languages can offer in little insight and even a little more emotion and sense of depth of the phrase. I use a website called biblehub.com and it is very functional.

    The phrase “formless and empty” in the original Hebrew is “tohu” and “wabohu.” While we may read the phrase formless and void as saying a blob like existence, kind of like a lump of clay. It is there but it has no distinguishing features or beauty. However, the Hebrew “tohu wabohu” has a deeper meaning. It means in chaos. Not only is there no form, but there is also no organization. It is a beehive that has been knocked over and the bees are not happy. It is a group of candied up 6-year-olds. It means utter mayhem.

    So, God speaks and brings order, peace, and calm, by his Word, He speaks, and order arrives. In Hebrew it is called “towb.” We say “good,” but the Hebrew is more along the line of beautiful, pleasant to the senses, of giving pleasure. It is not just “good” as in good shape or good condition but rather this messy chaos was now beautiful and pleasant.

    Yet sin enters the world and “tohu and wabohu” re-enter creation. One day life is going pretty well, and them wham, out of nowhere, “tohu wabohu.” Your world falls apart, it may be your health or the health of a loved one, it might be a financial setback, a loss of a job, a loss of a spouse or other family member and boom, you are in one chaotic mess. You are spinning and can’t seem to get your bearings. The bottom has dropped out and you are left with “tohu wabohu.”

    But just like creation, God enters our world and makes it “towb,” He gives us Jesus and life settles down. We look to our Savior, the one who came to end the chaos and to make all things new and right. We look to Jesus to give us hope. In the midst of all the “tohu wabohu” Jesus brings hope and peace. We know that in all that we experience, Jesus has overcome sin, death, and the devil; all the forces of chaos to bring us the good things, eternal life in His name.

    So, when your “tohu wabohu” hits; remember your hope, remember your salvation, remember Jesus and his love for you and his salvation given to you to bring you good, that is eternity in His presence and under his protection.

Gracious Father, our lives are filled with chaos, terror, and fear. Send your Spirit to calm our hearts and lead us to look to Jesus as our rock and fortress. Guide us to find peace in his name. Be with those who are especially tormented at this time. Give them your peace, surround them with your love. Give them your peace to comfort them today. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret