The water has finally subsided from our building. Like Noah’s dove (Genesis 8:12), we now land and begin exploring the new chapter God’s writing for us.

We exit this ark with some trepidation, to be sure. But we also step out with great confidence, knowing that God loves bringing a new creation up from the water (Genesis 1:2; 8:1).

Jesus himself, rising from the waters of baptism, had the dove-like Spirit alight on his own dripping head (Matthew 3:16). That same Spirit then led him into the wilderness where he began conquering where Adam and Israel had failed (Matthew 4:1-11). We now stand in union with him—his life, death, and resurrection—and we sit in heavenly places with him—far above all earthly powers (Ephesians 1:20-21; 2:6). In him, we’re already a new creation people, empowered by the same Spirit, and we expect that his pattern of renewing and remaking and rebuilding will transform us in ways we can’t yet imagine.

We don’t know what’s coming. But we know that God’s faithfulness is writ large across the pages of our backstory, and we know that the faithful inkwell from which he writes will never run dry.

So we begin afresh, alive with the promise-mission God gave to Adam and Eve, to Noah, to Abraham, and to the disciples of the risen Lord: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28; 9:1; 17:1-6; Matthew 28:19). By the truth of the Word and the power of the Spirit, like the church in the earliest days (Acts 2:47), we are praying for exactly that.

September 1

September 10

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

— Acts 2:42-47