The Fingerprints of God

Beginnings

There’s something almost sacred about the very first days of a new year. The calendar flips. The numbers change. And for just a moment, it feels like anything is possible. We tell ourselves things like, “This is the year.” This is the year I get healthier. This is the year our family finds its rhythm. This is the year things finally settle down.

But if we’re honest—really honest—January is a strange mix of hope and heaviness. Because while the year is new, most of what we’re carrying isn’t. The same worries followed us across the midnight line. The same grief showed up with us in January. The same unresolved questions, the same financial stress, the same family tension—they didn’t stay behind in December.

A new year doesn’t automatically mean a clean slate. It just means we’re asking old questions in a new season. And one of those questions rises up quickly, sometimes quietly, sometimes painfully: Why am I here—right now, in this season of my life? Why this chapter? Why this timing? Why this struggle? For some of us, the new year feels exciting. For others, it feels intimidating. And for a few, it feels exhausting just to be here.

But before we rush into resolutions…Before we decide what we need to fix, change, or improve…Before we start measuring this year by what we’ll accomplish or overcome…What if the most important thing we could do at the beginning of this year is go back to the beginning—the beginning?

Before the chaos. Before the pain. Before the questions. Because how we understand the beginning shapes how we live in the middle. And today, before we ask what this year will hold, I want us to ask something deeper: What does the beginning tell us about the God who is still holding us now?

God Created

God created the world. That’s a statement many people agree with today, but when it was first recorded, it was revolutionary. In the ancient Near East, most religions assumed that matter was eternal, and that gods themselves emerged from it. These gods were seen as part of creation, not its cause. Then came the bold declaration of Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This wasn’t just a statement—it was a thunderbolt that changed everything. Suddenly, God wasn’t just manipulating material that already existed—He was the Creator, the origin of all things.

And here’s why this matters: whatever we create, we care about. Think about it—have you ever created something? A poem, a painting, a business, a team, a garden, or even a Thanksgiving dinner? What’s the last thing you made? [Pause and share a personal story about something you’ve created, perhaps even show it to the audience.]

To you, this may not look like much, but I love it! Honestly, I kept going back to look at it, to touch it, to admire it again and again. I even asked my family if they’d noticed it—several times! I took a picture, posted it online, and couldn’t help but smile every time I saw it. Why? Because it has my fingerprints on it, and when your fingerprints are on something, your heart is in it.

That instinct is part of who we are because we’re made in the image of a Creator. God embedded His creativity in us. That’s why we’re all so driven to make things—whether it’s art, architecture, music, welding, or interior design. We’re reflecting the creative heart of God, and our creations, in a way, are extensions of ourselves.

If you grasp this truth, you’ll realize something absolutely extraordinary: God is passionately in love with you for one simple reason—you bear His fingerprints. You are His masterpiece, and He can’t help but care deeply about you. You are HIS.

In many ancient creation stories, the gods were portrayed as distant and self-serving. Take the Babylonian creation myth, Enuma Elish, for example. According to this story, humans were created from the blood of a defeated god, and their purpose was to serve the gods by doing their work and offering them sacrifices. These gods didn’t create humanity out of love or care but out of convenience—they wanted someone to handle the labor they didn’t want to do themselves.

Now, contrast that with the God of the Bible. In Genesis, we see a Creator who forms humanity not out of necessity but out of love. He carefully shapes Adam from the dust of the ground and breathes His own breath of life into him, Genesis 2:7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

This is an intimate, personal act—a God fully invested in His creation. And beyond just creating us, He walks with humanity in the garden, speaks with them, and even provides for them when they fall. He didn’t have to create you, He wanted to create you, He wanted you the day He created you and He wants you today!

This isn’t a God who is distant or detached. This is a God who calls us His children, who cares for us like a loving Father, and who remains deeply connected to what He has made. Unlike the gods of other myths, our God’s heart is in His creation because it reflects His very essence. He loves us because we are an extension of His creative work, bearing His image and fingerprints.

Unlike the gods of other ancient creation stories, who were distant and detached, our God is fully invested in His creation. What He made is an extension of Himself, and because of that, He is neither distant nor disinterested. He is fully "bought in" and "sold out" to you and to all He has made.

This is profoundly good news! It’s a message of hope and belonging, and it flows straight out of the biblical worldview rooted in Judaism—a perspective unlike any other.

Spirit Created

The very first time we encounter the Holy Spirit in Scripture, He is bringing order out of chaos, preparing an environment where life can thrive under God’s design. That’s not just a one-time act—it’s a perfect description of what the Holy Spirit always does. Wherever there is disorder, He brings order. Wherever there is chaos, He brings healing and restoration.

Right now, in the places of your life that feel disordered or chaotic, the Holy Spirit is actively working, full of divine energy and intention, to draw you closer to your Creator. Let that truth settle in your heart: whatever is on your mind is on God’s heart because of the Spirit’s presence in your life.

The Holy Spirit isn’t just working; He is your advocate, passionately interceding for what matters most to you. He’s not distant or passive—He is actively moving to align your life with God’s will and bring peace where it’s needed most.

As you go about your daily routine, consider how often you feel overwhelmed by the demands of daily life—work schedules, family responsibilities, and societal pressures. Remind yourself that the Holy Spirit is interceding for you, and this brings a sense of peace. This week, commit to a daily quiet time, perhaps in the morning or during lunch. Use this time specifically for prayer and listening. Allow the Holy Spirit the space to guide your thoughts and priorities, bringing clarity to your responsibilities and rest to your spirit.

So as you step into this new year—with all its hope and all its uncertainty—remember this: you are not starting from scratch. You are starting from belonging. You carry the fingerprints of God, and the One who made you in the beginning is still shaping you now.