Creation · Part 1 · 5 min
A World Begins to Awaken
Before the trees, before the birds, and before anyone could look up at the sky, God was already there. The Bible begins by saying that God created the heavens and the earth. Our world had not always looked the way we know it.
The earth was without form and empty. Darkness covered the waters, and the Spirit of God moved over them. There was no path to walk along, no flower to smell, and no house where someone could live.
Then God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. What had been dark began to shine. God saw that the light was good and separated it from the darkness. He called the light Day and the darkness Night.
Evening passed, and morning came. That was the first day. Creation had begun. Many things were still to come, but the first light was already part of the world God was preparing.

On the second day, God made an expanse in the middle of the waters. He separated the waters below it from the waters above it. God called that expanse Sky. This is how the Bible tells us that God brought order.
We can pause and imagine that open horizon. No birds crossed it yet. No trees lifted their branches. Each part of creation would have its own time, and the second day ended before those other wonders arrived.

Then God commanded the waters beneath the sky to gather in one place and dry ground to appear. The waters gathered, and the dry ground came into view. Now there were shores and places where plants would later grow.
God called the dry ground Land and the gathered waters Seas. He saw that it was good. Water had its place, and so did land. A world that had been empty was beginning to show different spaces, ready for what would come next.
We can imagine the beauty of that newly formed earth: hills, rivers, and pleasant landscapes. It was not yet a world full of people and animals. It was the beginning of a home that God would keep preparing with care.

When we look at a shore, an open sky, or light coming through a window, we can remember this first part of the story. The little things we see each day belong to a world that began with God’s work.
Sometimes we have something to prepare too: a place to play, a table to share, or a bed for resting. We can do it carefully, one step at a time. Creation was only beginning, but every step had its place. Soon the earth would receive a covering of green.
Adapted from Genesis 1:1–10
Additional reading: Patriarchs and Prophets, Ellen G. White, chapter 2: The Creation.
Talk about it together
- Wonder
- Care
A verse to remember
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1World English Bible
- What did God call the light and the darkness when he separated them on the first day?
- What fills you with wonder as you imagine the first open sky over the waters?
- Which shared place can you prepare carefully, step by step, this week?
Activity · 2–5 minutes
Prepare a place with care
Choose a reading corner or a table to share. Decide what it needs, give each person a small task and prepare it step by step. When you finish, notice how each task helped make the space ready to enjoy together.
Try it today: I can marvel at creation and care for the places I share with others.
More stories with these values
Jigsaw puzzle
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