With No Point of Reference

There’s a song by Hillsong United that I’ve been loving lately off their new album, Wonder. The song is called “So Will I”.

The 1st verse goes like this:

God of creation

There at the start

Before the beginning of time

With no point of reference

You spoke to the dark

And fleshed out the wonder of light

Just a few minutes ago, I was walking the halls of Stony Brook University at work today to get away from my desk for a bit (I’m a computer programmer). As I walked, I found myself humming this song. I must have heard it and sang it, oh, maybe 50 times over the last 2 months since they released the album. But as I hummed along to the line With no point of reference, something struck a chord in me.

On the job, I do a good amount of web design along with development. Design is all about creating something that will be aesthetically pleasing and functional when all is said and done. When I design something, whether it is a system or a process, a logo or a website, I am always, always, thinking about what has been done before. This helps me to create an analysis of what has worked in the past and what has not worked. This is my point of reference. I’m able to then react to what’s been done before by strategically planning to either go a similar direction, in the case of a previous success, or take an entirely new route based on the evidence I see. Often, I have some type of starting point so that I am not starting every project from square one.

Not God, though.

He started with a completely blank canvas.

Imagine it… Darkness. Void. Empty. Nothing.

Then…

BAM!

God speaks four words.

LET       THERE       BE        LIGHT.

The Creator of all things living speaks into emptiness — with no point of reference.

That’s the part that gets me really amped up. No point of reference. He didn’t have an alternate universe that He modeled this one after. He imagined every bit of the most complex and most intricate living creature, and He created them right there on the spot, starting with Light itself.

It amazes me. God created the human heart in all of its inner workings and impeccable intricacy. He created the eye, the ear, the nose and the mouth with all of their functions and facets. He make our brains with which we can process and retain far more than any machine can ever and with such unique design. All of this — with no point of reference.

What a creative God. What an amazing life.