"Ex Nihilo"

Happy weekend, blog-friends!

Just got on the tour bus after the Gulfport MS "SHE Show" tonight. It was a great evening with a brilliant crowd! They sang at the top of their voices! Now we're on the bus watching a movie to relax, then we'll all wake up in the morning in Texas. The show tomorrow night is in Carollton TX so come along if you live near there!

On one of the walls of the church tonight I saw this piece of art - its really famous so I'm sure you've seen it before - but tonight it really struck me in a new way to see it and the words "in the beginning, God.." It reminded me of the latin phrase they taught us at Oxford in our Genesis class: "Ex Nihilo".

"Ex Nihilo" is latin for "Out Of Nothing". When God created the universe Genesis says that "in the beginning, God".. In the beginning there was just Him. He created all things out of nothing. He spoke and everything came into being.

For us thats really awesome and encouraging, because God is Someone who creates something out of nothing. He takes emptiness and creates wholeness, He takes darkness and speaks light. Because of this, we can come to God empty and weak knowing that He takes us and with His power makes something out of nothing. We dont have to bring strength, gifts or goodness to the table. He was able to take dust and breathe it into a human being. We are just dust without His living breath. So we are totally able to come to Him in weakness, knowing we are just dust, and ask Him to empower us and enable us to live the Kingdom Life.

That means none of us can ever say we are disqualified from serving God, or that we need to become better or holier before He can use us. He is the Creator and is the inventor of creating life, beauty and color "ex nihilo" - out of nothing!

Do you ever feel like you need to be better, holier, more 'sorted out' before God can really use you? Is that really just legalism? Are we trying to engage in 'self improvement', rather than asking for God's divine empowering to take the dust of who we are are and make us into something with His power?

If you often feel disqualified, pressuring yourself to be better and up your spiritual performance, its time to hear God's mercy speaking over you that He creates "ex nihilo" - He doesnt want our tick sheets and score cards. He just wants our surrender. Its HIS power and not ours that accomplishes the work of transformation in us! What a relief!

God is also the One who was there "in the beginning" (Genesis 1). He is the author of beginnings. If you are feeling in need of a new beginning in your life...a new day to dawn... a new season, He is the One who can bring that to be. After all, He began the original 'beginning' when time's first second ticked. Don't try and create that new day, that new season, that new beginning in your own power. Ask the God who began the Beginning, and did it "ex nihilo" to break in to your life and bring the breakthrough in your life and heart that you need!

"How does that speak to your heart today?"

Love,
Vicky

Comments

[Lucy Geale]

that really is some awesome stuff vb. you know how you can know something, and you've always heard it and always 'knew it' but then you heard it in a new way? not sure if im making sense, but i guess i just read what you said in a new way. re-realised it. i guess its always good to go over the things you think you know, just to re-learn them.
i know god dosnt need me to be strong. he dosnt want me to be strong. he wants to be the strength in me. in my weakness He is strong! and that is the amazing thing. all i have to do is offer myself to god. surrender with willingness and the lord can do beautiful things!
its good to remember that he is a god of new beginning. we can come in whatever state we are in and know that he can use it for good.
it makes me really happy to read your blog today. just got up and took my dog for a walk and the sun is beginning to shine, and also the son is shining on me! we really are just a vessel to be used for gods greater glory!
theres an advert on in england about car insurance and its got joanna lumley on. the car insurance provider is called privilaged. and the line she says is, "you dont have to be posh to be privilaged." its the same with god. you dont have to be posh to be privilaged. you dont have to be perfect to hear him speak. you dont have to have it all together for him to meet you. he will meet you where you are with a new beginning :)
thanks for the thought today.
glad the SHE concert when well and hope the others are too, and that god comes in a mighty way.
love lucy x x x

[Emma]

Thats definately inspriring stuff! I have been pretty ill over the last 6 months and have missed much school work, events and time in my life. I have been in hospital had operations and have now been diagnosed with ME. I have little strength at the moment and have been feeling like I have little to give. But that just prooves that God is the wind in my sails and he wants to be. He made me ill so I learnt to depend on him and know that in my weakness he is strong and he wants me to hold on to that power.
With love to everyone
xx

[Jonathan]

Glad your show went well, Vicky!

Isn't it great how God can use people to speak into our life just what we need to hear for the moment?

This was a great encouragement to me today; thanks!

[Jon]

Hey Vicky,
How's it? I've read a book about that painting, but I forget the book and the author. It was probably 4 or 5 years ago, but it talked about God's desire to be with us and how we just need to make the effort to reach out just a little bit to connect with him; the painter's intention i'm sure. It was a good book, if I remember it, I'll let you know.
Keep it real,
Jon

[Emma]

Hey Vicky,
By the way we miss you Twiiter updates on your blog page they appear to have dissappeared! x

[joshua]

I second the missing of the twitter updates.

[Lucy Geale]

and me, we want twitter!!

[Rebecca]

I really think I need God to show me I don't have to be perfect right now.