GENESIS 1:1a
Reading:
In the beginning… (Genesis 1:1)
Time: Before time began
Characters: God
Place: Before creation
What's Happening: God begins the creation of the earth
Prayer
Dear God,
When you created this world, you really began time. You set in
motion the sun rising and setting, the earth rotating full circle
in 24 hours, the earth orbiting around the sun every 365 days.
Those hours, days, months and years tick by as I pray. Am I using
time wisely? Is it slipping by? Time is most precious when we
run out of time. Time is abused when we have lots of it. The saying
goes "every second counts" and it's true. Let me not
measure time by weekly day planners or monthly/yearly calendars,
but by my watch as it ticks off every second guaranteeing that
I make them count. Every second I waste I will not regret until
time runs out for good. It's time to make time.
Additional Prayer
" Thank you for the time you have
given me so far in my life…
" I pray that I will use the time today wisely…
" As I evaluate every event today on my schedule, I wonder
why you put it on my calendar…
GENESIS 1:1b
Reading:
God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Time: Creation
Characters: God
Place: Heaven and earth
What's Happening: God creates the universe
Prayer
Dear God,
As I look at this world and its intricate design I can see the
imprint of a great artist. It's like when I go to a museum and
see great works of art by Monet and Van Gogh. In their paintings,
I see their talent and vision. As I look at your design, I see
your creativity, your beauty, your power, your very nature. I
look at the details, the small, the great, the insignificant,
the significant, the light, the dark. How can many believe this
all happened by chance? No work of art in the museum just occurred.
There was an artist behind every piece of art. Many art historians
can tell the artist without ever looking at the signature. You
don't need to sign your name in the sky, because it's obvious
who made this world. Thank you for sharing this creation with
me and allowing me to live in your artwork.
Additional Prayer
" Thank you God for the creativity
you have given me…
" I think about the most beautiful places I have visited…
" I see your design in the area around me…
GENESIS 1:2
Reading:
The earth was formless and void… (Genesis 1:2)
Time: Creation
Characters: God
Place: Earth
What's Happening: God forms the earth
Prayer
Dear God,
Most people freak out when they are given a blank sheet of paper
and told to write whatever they want. It takes more creativity
to start from nothing than to add a little to something already
started and conceived. But you took a lump of hot, molten rock,
shapeless and empty, and shaped into the Grand Tetons, Niagara
Falls, the Swiss Alps, the African Serengeti, the Brazilian coastline,
the mountains of New Zealand. Pretty creative stuff. You show
that same ability in my life when it feels formless and void.
Sometimes I feel I have no purpose, no shape, no reason. My life
feels like blank sheets of paper. I shouldn't worry. You have
experience in that sort of thing and can create something beautiful
from anything given to you.
Additional Prayer
" My day is a blank slate. Fill in
the blanks by…
" Thank you God for creating something beautiful out of me...
" The area of my life that has the greatest void and needs
your creativity is…
GENESIS 1:3-25
Reading:
Then God said, "Let there be light…waters…sky…dry
land… vegetation…sun… moon…stars…sea
creatures…land creatures…." And God saw that it
was good… (Genesis 1:3-25)
Time: Creation
Characters: God
Place: Universe
What's Happening: God creates everything in the universe
Prayer
Dear God,
The Bible states that after you created every item on Earth, you
stepped back, looked it over and said, "It's good."
First of all, what else would describe your creation? So-so? Okay?
It'll do? "Good" describes the quality of the creation.
It looked and functioned well. It fit perfectly into the whole
creation. "Good" described its "goodness"
on a moral level. You did not create a sinful thing, but something
pure and holy, just like yourself. The light was good. The Earth,
seas, vegetation, the stars, moon, planets, sea creatures, birds,
land animals, all that you made, you called good. That includes
man. It was all created good. What happened?
Additional Prayer
" Thank you God that you only create
good quality, especially in the area of…
" One good thing in my life that has become corrupt is…
" I feel good about my life in the area of…
GENESIS 1:26-27
Reading:
Let Us make man in our image… (Genesis 1:26-27)
Time: Creation
Characters: God
Place: Earth
What's Happening: God (the Trinity) decides to create man.
Prayer
Dear God,
I have a hard time imagining that I am made in your image. You
are so perfect and I am so imperfect. I know being created in
your image doesn't mean that I look like you physically, but it
means I possess qualities that you display on a much greater level.
Whenever I love, it's your love I'm expressing. Whenever I serve,
it's your servant's heart I'm showing. Lord, today I pray that
when people see me they think they've seen a glimpse of God. You
said in the Bible to "be perfect as I am perfect." I'll
never reach sinless perfection on Earth, but it's a goal to try
to attain every day. Of all the creations you created, man is
the closest expression of perfection…You.
Additional Prayer
" I do a good job of expressing the
Godly quality of…
" I can do a better job of expressing the Godly quality of…
" I am honored to be the bearer of your image…
GENESIS 1:28
Reading:
Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it…
(Genesis 1:28)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: God, Adam, Eve
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: God encourages man to repopulate and gives the
responsibility of overseeing the earth.
Prayer
Dear God,
You have given us a wonderful gift. Not only did you create this
great big, beautiful world, but then you handed the keys over
to us. You wanted us to enjoy it, live fully in it, then you asked
that we pass it on to our kids and our kids' kids. You asked that
we control this world, watch over it and keep it ticking. It's
ours. We can't take advantage of this privilege, but view it as
a responsibility. We can't fall asleep on the job or we'll destroy
your most creative feat. Our actions today show whether we accept
or deny this duty to rule over your creation. Will we selfishly
pollute or responsibly populate it?
Additional Prayer
" I want to show my respect for your
creation today by…
" I want to pass that respect on to my children…
" As a "ruler," I can be described as a kind leader
or a dictator…
