Where Do I Begin

One of the earliest questions I asked in my growing up years included questions like, Who am I? Where was I before I was born? What is the purpose of my life? And, what's next? Is there life after death? 

Are such questions reserved for the philosophers or the intellectual elite? Or are such questions essential pursuits of the soul, and is for every human being - a search for our place and meaning in the wider scheme of things, a hyper-nano dot in the universe? Where does one begin?

I decided to begin not with navel gazing or heart introspection, nor with star gazing. I decided to begin with reading what God says about Himself, as revealed in the Bible.  I've decided to take up the challenge to read through the entire Bible as if it's my first time, though it isn't (it's probably the 10th time). It's a seeking to take in what's written, with an enquiring mind, and then comparing with where I am in my life. 

It matters to me, to find out if life is accidental or intentional, meaning that there is a Creator God. For me, that issue has been settled. I believe there is a Creator God. I believe that there is a beginning in the history of the heavens and the earth; that God created the heavens and the earth, meaning, He is not part of creation. 

The Bible narrative begins with God. It's theocentric, not anthropomorphic. It's about God first, not man. It therefore suggests that man's search for his identity should not begin with himself. His identity lies in His Creator God. To understand the purpose and existence of man, begin with God!

In my opinion, to begin with man is like the dog that chased its own tail. There's no end to it. It only gets the dog dizzy and worn out. And it annoys or amuses everyone else!

The God of the Bible, on the other hand, is the God who initiates. No matter how we may try, we will never be able to know this God apart from His initiative to reveal Himself to mankind. The amazing truth is that the God who created us took it upon Himself to reconcile His creation back to Himself.

And so I begin with seeking to know the God who is revealed in the Bible.