In the Beginning

The Bible begins with these three words, "In the beginning..." I think it is a great way to start a story. Of course, we are more accustomed to "Once upon a time..." I think it is interesting to think of the difference between the two. You could begin any story with "Once upon a time" couldn't you? I mean, everything is once upon a time! Anything that has happened in history could begin that way be it fact or fiction. 
But you can't begin just any story with "In the beginning..."can you?  How many beginnings do we have, really? You could say "in the beginning of...", but you can't just start with "in the beginning." 
This phrase is found in Genesis 1:1, and again in John 1:1.  We have, "In the beginning God created..", and we also have "In the beginning was the Word..."
John 1 is probably my all time favorite book of the Bible in the literary sense.  I have other favorites, for other reasons, but John 1 is just beautiful. Take, for example, simply the first four verses--
       

         In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God. The same was  
         in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that
         was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

So, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth..." and "In the beginning was the Word..."
Jesus, the Word of God, the Word made flesh, was in the beginning with God, and "without him was made nothing that was made."  That is just awesome!  Every time I think of the connections between the creation story and Jesus as the Word, I get chills.  We shouldn't even be able to think of creation without the acknowledgement that the Word was there with God from the beginning.  John goes on to say, in John 1:14, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." The Word that gave life in the beginning to ALL of creation...THE Word...became flesh and dwelt among us. The Word that gave light and life.  The Word that spoke light into the darkness. The Word that gave us the very ability to live.  God...became flesh and dwelt among us.  "In him was life, and the life was the light of men."  And he lowered himself to become one of us. 
Let's really sit and contemplate that for a moment.  THE one..THE Word..THE creator...GOD lowered himself to become flesh.  Without Him, we would have had no "In the beginning...". Without Him, we have had no light to pierce the darkness.  Without Him, we are NOTHING.  And he came to dwell among us, so that we might be reconciled with God and live as sons and daughters.  So that we might call out "Abba, Father."  He was born of a woman, raised by an earthly family, and hated by the very people he came to serve.  He was tried, convicted, and executed for committing the crime of being the truth and the light.  All of that, so that we could have our "In the beginning..."
Without the Word, and without the Word made flesh, our "In the beginning" came to an abrupt end a LONG time ago with the first sin.  Thanks to Jesus, our story continues with love and light and hope.
Why? Because "the darkness has not overcome it."