And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters (see Genesis 1:2).


With the first mention of the Spirit, He was moving. The Holy Spirit is the agent of God who does the work. He is ever moving, working, and bringing forth the purposes of God. It is crucial for every Christian to know the Holy Spirit, and learn how to follow Him in all things. In order to do this, we have to keep moving. The nature of the Christian life is to be moving and going somewhere.

The Christian life is never stagnant, but flowing like a river. We have a destination and a work to accomplish with the Holy Spirit. In the beginning "the Spirit of God was moving," and the Spirit continues to move. That is why the River of Life is a river, not a pond or lake. A river is always going somewhere.

A river starts as a single drop of water, and then becomes a little stream. Next, the stream gathers with other streams from the country side, and the river grows until it reaches its destination. The Lord intends this for every life. We are called to a journey that grows continually in both life and power. If we stay on the course, Proverbs 4:18 will be true of us: "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day."

We all begin as a single drop, a single soul among the teaming billions on earth. Then, "if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another" (see I John 1:7). Our journey is not alone. There is no other fellowship on earth like that which is found in the church of Jesus Christ. We are called to walk with other souls. If we stay on course, we will gather with many others who are going to the same destination. Our little streams should then join others, growing all of the time into a mighty river. The church is also a glorious gift. Each soul is a marvelous treasure to be discovered.

When the Spirit moved, life came forth. The formless void became a symphony of such harmony and beauty that we will for eternity continue to marvel at the wonder of His ways. The Holy Spirit still loves to take even the most desolate life and turn it into a glorious symphony of life. However, He also builds with permanence. Our God planned from eternity, and as King Solomon understood: "I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him" (Ecclesiastes 3:14). To the degree that we work in harmony with His plan, we will be used to do that which will last forever. This is called "having fruit that remains."

The church is the "new creation" of God. When we look at the beginning of the church, we are observing a second beginning with consequences no less profound than the first beginning. When the spiritual state of the earth was formless and void, the Spirit moved again and the church was born. All life springs from the Spirit of God, and we will only have true life when we learn to move with Him. As we behold His work, we learn never to be discouraged by the present state of things. The more desolate it is, the more glorious His work appears.

If our spiritual lives are not getting better day by day, and increasing in life and power, then somewhere we have missed a turn. If this is true for you, do not proceed any further along your present course, but return to your first love, your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There you will find the Living Waters that can alone satisfy your soul and lead you to your destiny. Do not let petty differences with others separate you from those whose destiny is joined to your own. This is how many turn from the course. Stay in the River.

The Christian life is one of movement. However, it is not a random movement, but one with purpose. This purpose is still turning that which is formless and void into a glorious new creation. If we allow the Spirit to move through us, we will also be constantly searching for those whose lives are formless and void. We will become a bridge for them into the glorious, creative purposes of God. When we begin to see with His eyes, we will not see any person or situation as worthless, regardless of how empty and useless they may now seem.

When we begin to see with His eyes, we begin to see potential in people and situations that before were seemingly hopeless. He said in Jeremiah 15:19: "If you return, then I will restore you—Before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman…."