Eishah Smith

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of [Love] moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬ paraphrase mine

I’m doing an experiment; replacing the word “God” with the word “Love,” since God is Love (1 John 4:8) to see how it changes my understanding. Join me!

Yesterday we looked at Genesis 1:1 and considered that Love created the heavens and the earth. Today we look at Genesis 1:2; specifically the Spirit of Love moved over the formless, void, dark waters. First, these waters are a deep abyss of wasted, empty, obscure confusion. Then the Spirit of Love moved. Yes! Love does get moved into action when Love sees a need, and Love moves other things to create solutions to meet the need. The traditional interpretation of these verses doesn’t give reasons why God created or why the Spirit of God moved, but reading the verses as Love creates and moves begins to explain. The purpose and intention are in the name. But intentions to do what, exactly? Something is about to happen…

I can imagine being there, moving with the Spirit, moving from a heart of love, loving plans and ideas flowing freely through my mind. I’m excited! Then I imagine being the chaotic waters, wasted, worthless; until a divine Love moves over me and moves me. I know something is about to happen!

Now I can see it! I can’t unsee it. Now I need it. Too often my life feels like a wasted, empty, confused abyss. Sometimes I long for order, structure, and purpose. I need the Spirit of Love to move over me, to move me into those loving plans and ideas, to bring me purpose, order and structure. My bottomless pit is not deeper than the earth was, so the same Love can move over me! The chaos our families, society, and world are in isn’t worse than the formless void before creation, so Love can move over, in & through us.

Love! You’ve done it again. Blown my mind again. You’ve been working the whole time, not just after the resurrection, but since the beginning. Thank you God for your faithfulness. I have often resisted Your efforts to bless me, but I will not resist any longer. Move over me and do what You do best. Help move things in my life until there is order and peace, until love is flowing freely in me. Then let me move with You over others.