God the Father

The first words of the Bible are so familiar — even to people who don’t read or believe them — that it’s easy to miss how surprising they are.

You might expect the Bible to start with something powerful and strong like:

This is the astounding and amazing account of the one true God of the universe who reigns over everything. Prepare to be amazed!

Or maybe something heartwarming and emotional like:

God is Love. Love is God. This is the story of how much he loves each one of us.

Or maybe something stern and bold like:

This book contains important information and facts. It was written, researched, and edited by hundreds of trusted experts. You must believe it.

But instead it starts like this:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

"In the beginning." God is first in all things.

"God created." God is the source of all things.

"The heavens and the earth." God is the ruler over all things.

God creates. This is the Bible’s first declaration about God. We must know God as creator if we are to really know him. God is, and so God causes other things to be. More importantly, God brings order to chaos. Read the creation account carefully today. See how God takes a world that is “formless and empty” and transforms it into a breathtaking universe of beauty, purpose, structure, and order.

Read & Reflect

Read Genesis 1, Isaiah 40:12-31.

• What do the Bible’s creation accounts show you about God’s plans and character?
• What part of God’s natural creation has the strongest effect on you? Why?
• Copy a verse(s) from today’s reading, or draw/design a truth from the verses. Spend slow and careful time with the words of God.