The Alpha and the Omega

I am the Alpha and the Omega (Rev.1:17).

Every act of creation or of re-creation in our lives begins with the spoken word of God to us:  Light! Be!

                  Lazarus, Come Forth!

                  Ephratha!  (Be opened!)

Every act of creation or of re-creation in our lives begins with the Spirit/Breath/Wind of God hovering over the chaos of our lives and beginning to stir:   Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit....the wind blows where it pleases.  You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit (Jn. 3:6-8).

The Life of the Incarnate Word of God began with the spoken word of God to Mary, with the Spirit of God hovering over the emptiness of her womb.  "Yes," she said, "Let it be done according to Your Word."  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

The Word is the Seed, springing forth in darkness to new and eternal life.  The Spirit waters the Seed and makes it grow and become manifest in us.  As the Word and the Spirit were the agents of creation, so they are the agents of re-creation---the new birth of the children of God.

By nature, we are not "children of God;" we are offspring of the Evil One, the Prince of this world.  The works of the natural man are obvious:  hatred, discord, fighting, jealousy, anger, resentment, seeking escape, seeking to build one's own kingdom, murder, rage, pride, etc.  These are not the works of God, or of His offspring.  That is why Jesus said that unless we experienced a "new birth," of water and of the Spirit, we could not see the kingdom of God.  He did not say that "doing good things" would change the natural man; he said we must be born again of water and of Spirit.

And He alone is the agent of that new birth:  to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (Jn.1:12).  He is the Creative Word that brings forth the light; He is the fountain of eternally flowing and refreshing Water--He gives the Spirit to all who will come to Him.  He is the beginning of our faith (our new birth) and its end--He will bring to completion all that belongs to Him.

In Him, all of life is re-created and resurrected into eternity.  In Him, we bear the fruits of the children of God: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22).  These are not the fruits of the "natural man;" they are the fruits of the Spirit of God flowing through those in whom the Word of God has become incarnate, or taken flesh. 

Jesus came from the Father, taking Mary's flesh.  So, too, He still comes from the Father to indwell, take flesh, in those who will receive Him.  Come, Lord Jesus!