Tag: creation

Unpacking the Beginning

Genesis 1, Proverbs 1, Matthew 1

Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

Twenty years ago, I moved 1,000 miles with all my possessions loaded into a Buick Skylark, including my goldfish riding shotgun, to share a two-bedroom apartment with my newlywed wife. Now, as we move out of our home of fourteen years, it has taken six trips with a U-Haul, countless carloads, and a dumpster to move just 10 miles away. Granted, our family has grown to five people and a dog, but the math still doesn’t justify an increase of roughly 100 times more stuff. I can’t help but wonder: When did we get all of this? And why? Does it make us better equipped? Not necessarily. Does it bring us joy? Not really—especially not over the last month. Does it move us closer to God? Rarely.

This is not the rant of a minimalist millennial, nor a critique of your cherished possessions. There is still quite a plank in my own eye here. Rather, it is simply an acknowledgment that while we stand at the beginning of a calendar year, the beginning of a new reading plan, and the beginning of both the Old and New Testaments, we are not at the beginning of our lives. We carry things with us as we move from one year to the next. Our trailers in tow may look different, but they are often filled with trophies and affirmations, expectations and disappointment, habits and vices, grief and trauma. There can be a quiet vanity, trending toward insanity, in everything we accumulate along the way. However, in all of this, we can still look to “In the beginning…”

In Genesis 1, we are reminded that beginnings matter because our sovereign God is a God of purpose. Creation is not a random display of infinite power, but an act that makes all things matter (excuse the science pun). God purposely names, separates, and shapes what was formless, repeatedly calling it “good.” From the very first verse, we learn that clarity and meaning do not come from compiling, but from God’s intentional and intelligent design.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” —Proverbs 1:7

Accumulation can be a trap —more plans, better systems, or tighter control—will somehow translate into the power and wisdom of our Creator. However, Proverbs’ opening provides a clear contrast. It is a pursuit in fear and reverence that makes God’s wisdom accessible. As we begin to examine what fills our moving truck from one year to the next, it is through God’s understanding that we prioritize what matters, process the hurt, and chunk into the bin the things that no longer serve His purpose for us. A good start might simply be to pause your reading long enough to tell your Heavenly Father you are ready to revere Him in the coming year.

Finally, our last beginning comes from the Gospel of Matthew, where Mary is foretold of the birth of Jesus. Gabriel says He will be called Emmanuel—“God with us”—the ultimate title given to God’s greatest gift of great joy to creation. He entered a crowded, cluttered world, as He still does today, not asking us to take on baggage on His behalf, but instead inviting us to bear only the burden of His cross.It is the one thing that should be clear and conspicuous as we wander, move, and rove; it is Christ who shoulders the majority of the burden, carrying it alongside us.

As I consider this moment —and the truckloads of stuff waiting in storage—perhaps the question is not what can I add to make this year memorable, but instead, where can I begin to let go in reverent surrender. As we begin to unpack what the next year might hold, let us first make room for God’s presence, preparing only to keep only what can be called good by our Heavenly Father in the beginning.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are you carrying with you into the New Year? What positive things? What has been put into your moving truck that is not beneficial to you? What might God like to see you surrender this year?
  2. What do you love about the creation account? What do you learn about God from His creation?
  3. How do you/could you prioritize the fear of the Lord? Pray for God to give you wisdom, insight and dedication to living this new start in a way that is pleasing to Him.
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A Majestic God

1 Chronicles 1

Psalm 6, 8-10, 14

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!  You have set your glory above the heavens.”  Psalm 8:1a 

Majestic…Grand…Magnificent…Imposing…Grandiose…Awe-Inspiring…Dignified…Impressive…Distinguished

There really isn’t a good enough word to describe how majestic God is, not even a list of words can do Him justice!  The rest of verse one says, “You have set your glory above the heavens.”  David points out in this Psalm that we can see God’s majesty in the work of His fingers (His creation)– specifically mentioned is the moon and the stars.

After looking to the vastness of God’s creation, David asks in 8:4, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”  David goes on to say that God crowned us with glory and honor.  We are such a small piece in God’s creation that it is hard to imagine that God cares so much for us.   And even more than that, He gave us dominion (rule or control) over the rest of His creation.  

Wow!  So often I read a Psalm like this and don’t really take in its powerful message.  God made the whole world and everything in it.  That includes people.  That includes you and me.  Do you feel crowned with glory and honor?  Do you feel watched over and cared for? 

As the world turns further and further away from God’s path it is easy to become discouraged.  To wonder, “How bad was it in Noah’s day that God ended most of mankind?”.  Psalm 14:1a says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”  There seem to be fools aplenty – all you have to do is turn on the news, log on to Facebook, listen to the conversations around you in a restaurant or grocery store.  Fools are everywhere.  All of the Psalms from today’s reading offer great encouragement for those who follow God.

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. What in God’s creation speaks of God’s majesty to you?  Mountains, oceans, colors, wildlife, sunrises/sunsets, music, a newborn, etc.?
  2.  As you consider that God made – and makes – all people, consider that this statement includes you.  Also consider, this includes your bossy sister, your nosy neighbor, your know-it-all relative, etc.  Who might you need to start seeing through God’s eyes?
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Israel’s Strength and Consolation

Genesis 1-3

January 1, 2025 – Day 1 of the 2025 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

In case we have forgotten, we serve the Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth. By His word alone, He spoke the universe into existence, forming the earth and filling it with life. From eternity to today, His hands continue to hold the world as a loving Father to humanity, created in His image—the climax of His creative acts. As part of this creation, it is a powerful reminder that we are not the owners but stewards in our Heavenly Father’s domain. Yet, we can draw from the strength and power present from the very beginning. The same power that called light into darkness, parted the Red Sea, called fire from heaven, and raised Jesus from the dead is also available to us. We simply need to stop wandering aimlessly in the garden, worrying about what we will eat next, and turn to Him.

Ultimately, it is God who gave us free will—the freedom to wander or to follow. This choice is most simply expressed in whether we choose to worship and honor Him or to worship and honor something else, including ourselves. There are countless opportunities to follow our own flawed prerogatives that lead to peril because choosing sin over God is inherent in our nature. Genesis 3 presents the moment of humanity’s fall—a moment that could have marked the end of hope. Yet even in judgment, God extends consolation. He seeks Adam and Eve in their hiding, clothes their shame with garments of grace, and promises a future Redeemer who will crush the serpent’s head. This promise is repeated time and again to Israel, God’s chosen people (Isa 9:7; Gen 49:10, Deut 18:18-19), and now to us, His new nation (Rom 11:17,18, 1 Peter 2:9,10). This act of mercy reveals God’s goodness—His justice tempered with overwhelming compassion.

In our own failings, we find consolation in knowing that God pursues us in the same manner. He offers to cover our shame with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. This has been God’s plan from the beginning—that we would be redeemed and restored from our falls. In Christ, we are made a new creation. Yes, there is judgment and the penalty of death, but there is also the far greater promise of eternal life. Ultimately, we have a sustaining consolation like no other. God has given His Holy Spirit to us—not only as our Comforter as we await the fulfillment of His promises but also as a source of strength. Through the Spirit, we are empowered to reflect the fruits of our Creator and Father.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What is revealed about God Almighty in the first 3 chapters of Genesis?
  2. Do you sometimes forget some of the things that Genesis teaches us about God?
  3. What is revealed about man and woman in the first 3 chapters of Genesis?
  4. Do you sometimes forget some of the things that Genesis teaches about man and woman?
  5. What hope do you find in the first 3 chapters of Genesis?

You can download and print the whole year’s Chronological Bible Reading Plan in a compact 1 page booklet form:

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Or download and print just one month at a time in an easier to read format:

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Who would you like to invite to be a Bible reading buddy with you in 2025?

He Made Them All

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 29 & 30

Poetry: Psalm 104

New Testament: Titus 2

Our family loves camping and traveling and finding new places to hike or kayak through God’s beautiful world. The variety of his creation is truly amazing! Desert, forest, plains, mountain, ocean. We love them all and the chance to explore a new little corner of His world we haven’t seen yet. And, along the way, trying to capture a photo to remind us of the beauty and creativity we had the privilege to see.

Psalm 104 is a beautiful poem of creation. I would love to make a photo book or photo wall with pictures from our family hikes and travels depicting each verse and phrase.

“he stretches out the heavens like a tent” (vs 2) – expansive blue sky from horizon to horizon

“He makes the clouds his chariot” (vs 3) – white and multi-shades of gray amazing textured rolling clouds with shafts of sunlight shining through with the brilliant blue sky behind

“He makes springs pour water into the ravines” – hot springs bubbling from the ground and flowing down the mountain side

You get the idea. There would be photos of waterfalls, lightening, mountaintops, ocean waves on the shore, rainstorms, the moon, plants and animals, sunrises, sea creatures, and people. Each one accompanied with God’s text.

I recently taught a unit on creation to the adorable children in children’s church. And it was so much fun spending a week (or often more) on each aspect of God’s amazing creation. We brought in shells and rocks and leaves and bird feathers to touch and play with. We matched plant photos to foods we eat and counted plant products in ingredient labels. (Do you know how many plants are in a box of Cheerios or mac’n cheese?) We classified plants and animals and brought in a bird expert. We watched videos and explored books on clouds and planets and sea creatures and the animal kingdom and the incredible human body. And all the things that we take for granted everyday.

Not only is God’s world a beautiful world – but so incredibly functional, too! He thought of EVERYTHING! The more I learn of science and the human body in particular, the more I am amazed at His creation.

I have never made anything nearly as intricate or useful as the smallest, tiniest, most simplistic, most ‘insignificant’ part of God’s creation. But, I do like to create quilts – little scraps of colored fabric (which came from a cotton plant) sewn together in patterns to make a cozy cover to bring comfort and warmth. I can’t imagine how I would feel if I were to meet someone who explained that those quilts just came to be one day – that it grew from nothing and became strings that wove themselves together and the fabrics cut themselves into the perfect shapes and even stitches magically formed just as they were needed to piece the top together and the materials used to create the final layered project appeared at just the right time and space and lined up just so to automatically go through the final steps to create my quilt. Foolishness. It is foolishness that leaves out the thought, intention, desire, creativity, vision, purpose and ability of me, the quilt creator. Or, equally painful – maybe they would give all the credit for the making of the quilt to another.

It makes sense that the Creator of the Heavens and Earth wants us to enjoy and admire His creation – and give Him all the credit He so much deserves. But, what happens when people don’t? What happens when they take away the glory that belongs to God and call it chance instead or give it to another? What happens when they refuse to listen to God’s words – His first recorded words being – “Let there be light”? What happens when they attribute God’s creation to another? We see in the book of Jeremiah. “These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!” Jeremiah goes on in today’s reading to describe the drought, famine and sword that will be used in judgment of those who have stubbornly turned from God. Jeremiah 14 ends with God telling Jeremiah to speak to the people, telling them to acknowledge their guilt and wickedness and sins against Him and ask God to remember His covenant. The final verse of chapter 14 says,

“Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
    Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
    Therefore our hope is in you,
    for you are the one who does all this.” (vs 22 NIV)

Not only did Our Great God create this world for us – He made a covenant with us – He has power still today – and He holds out a blessed hope for those who acknowledge and worship Him for all He has done, is doing and will do.

Thank you God for your incredible Creation – help me see and appreciate each amazing part!

Thank you God for the rains today – help me see you at work today!

Thank you God for the hope you set before those who believe and worship you alone – a New Heavens and Earth that will be beyond all we can ever dream or imagine!

You are our hope – for you are the one who does all this!

-Marcia Railton

(taken from a devotion originally posted here on Oct 12, 2021)

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you love most about God’s creation? What do you often take for granted in His creation? In your opinion what are some of the most useful things He created? What are some of the most creative things He created?
  2. What have you created? Has anyone ever disregarded your creation or the part you played in its creation? What are the biggest problems with the theory of evolution?
  3. Looking at the final verses of Psalm 104 (verses 31-35), what response to all that God has done does the psalmist have – and also ask for? What response does he expect, ask or look for from God? What response do you have to God’s creation?
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Give Credit

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 96

New Testament: 2 Thessalonians 3

Have you ever heard of the saying, “Give credit where credit is due?”  It is thought the expression was coined by Samuel Adams in a letter dated Oct. 29th, 1777!  That was quite a while ago!  Now, almost two and a half centuries later, “giving credit” has become a whole new ballgame.

Today’s generation has always had easy internet access.  And with that access, has been seemingly limitless information. But, can a person easily find the original source of an idea, trend, or promoted “fact” on social media platforms, where it can be shared multiple times and morph into a whole different idea or supposed “truth”? 

According to a recent survey, only 8% of students always give credit to original creators, 35% of students sometimes do, while 30% never give credit to original trendsetters.  (And who knows if this survey is correct—I found it on the internet!)

The Bible tells us there is only One who is due credit for all the world around us, the beauty, and majesty of His Creation. 

“Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth.”  Psalm 96: 7-9

Ascribe is an interesting word.  It means acknowledge, attribute, or GIVE CREDIT.  All of the earth trembles before Him as all people consider His mighty strength and unmatched splendor. 

Our praise leads to this acknowledgement of God’s greatness.  In verses 1-3 we are told to sing, proclaim, and tell about His salvation, glory and wonderful deeds. 

As our outward praise is heard and shared, it leads to an inward attitude of worship, basking in the Lord’s presence.  We adore God for who He is.

Not just His people, but ALL of His Creation sings God’s praises.  In verses 11-13, we see this. Have you walked along an ocean beach and HEARD the water’s roar? Have you gazed upon a field of Texas bluebells, multi-colored tulips, or bright yellow sunflowers, their BEAUTY GLORIFYING God’s presence?  Have you wandered through a forest of pine trees, and HEARD their joyful song in the breeze? If you have done one or more of these things, lift up your praise in harmony to Creation’s melodies. 

Acknowledge His presence in your every waking moment.  Savor His warmth and love.  Live a life of worship each day.  Give credit—ALL CREDIT—where credit is due—to the Lord God Almighty. 

-Paula Kirkpatrick

Reflection Questions

  1.  Do you dwell in God’s presence each day?  How better could you do that?
  2. Are praise and thanksgiving a regular part of your prayer life?
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Breath of Life

Old Testament: Genesis 2

Poetry: Psalm 1

New Testament: Matthew 2

A little over five months ago, I experienced the scariest moment of my existence. I was awoken by my wife, in a growing panic, informing me that our two-day old newborn had stopped breathing.  I rushed to the desk to get help, and watched helplessly as nurses left our room with our baby who had turned purplish-blue that will be forever imprinted on my psyche.  Later we would be told that since she was born Cesarean, she didn’t get the benefit from a squeeze on her exit that would have expelled the amniotic fluid from her lungs that was now choking her.  Praise be to God, working through the practice of quick-acting nurses, that she again found breath to sustain her life.

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” – Genesis 2:7

Adam was born in a far more unique way.  God took a pile of minerals and animated it with his breath.  What was lifeless moments before became the image of the Creator.  Some might say that only Adam or Jesus are the ones that uniquely reflect our God, but Psalm 139 depicts God as a tailor, stitching us together.  Our Heavenly Father is intimate with the fabric that forms our thoughts because he picked it out Himself.  By creating a consciousness with this breath of life we now have the distinction, like Adam and Jesus, that we have a part to play in the purpose of God, and there are no understudies for your role.

You have been handed a script. By having access to the words of God, in some sense, you have life-giving power.  Since scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16)  it means it brings about the same igniting animation.  Jesus uses the Word of God to fight temptation, perform miracles, fulfill prophecy, and raise people from the dead.  Likewise we are told we can use it for teaching, correcting, training, and rebuking. Knowing His Word allows our life to perform our role now, but also gives us access to the Power of God.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” – John 20:21-23

Jesus Christ, the Living Water and Word of God, has demonstrated this new form of life.  It is not giving viability to a sandbox, but instead is a life-giving resurrection that brings on a new form not yet seen except by the firstfruits, Christ himself.  We are called to more than a single designed life-giving birth, but to be reborn, given life eternal.  While we cannot enter the womb a second time, the squeeze brought on by the conviction of the Living Word and the Holy Spirit is necessary to purge and refine, readying us for His Kingdom. Like Adam, we too, are made with a Promise to be placed alongside God, so let’s suck less air, and stay committed to filling our lungs and exhalations with His life-giving words.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Describe in what ways you have received life-giving breath from God?
  2. What do you think is God’s purpose for you? How are you doing at fulfilling that purpose? 
  3. How can you help pass along the breath of life to one in need of it? What is your life-giving power? 
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A Difficult Climb

Old Testament: Ezekiel 19 & 20

Poetry: Psalm 98

New Testament: Revelation 13

Have you ever been hiking in the mountains? Have you heard the crisp cool breeze filtering through the branches of the towering evergreens? The sweet melodies of birds and the rushing mountain stream?

I appreciate that in this Psalm the beauty of God’s creation is intertwined with praising the creator. The psalmist paints a picture for us of the mountains and the rivers singing together for joy. From the creation we can observe the majesty and power of its creator.

This past spring I had the opportunity to hike in the Carpathian mountains of Romania. I did not know that this grueling 12 hour hike was something I was embarking on until the morning of. It was cold, the hike was steep and in some places slick from the packed snow melt. I didn’t know when this hike was going to end as that was a secret my group’s leaders kept a mystery. And all we had to drink was warm sparkling water. At times it felt as though my legs would give out and that I was going to lose strength. But I had to just keep trusting my leaders and asking God for the strength to keep going. It was difficult.

But then we reached the summit. The snow capped peaks and majestic towering mountains surrounded us on almost every side. It was beautiful. From the heights I saw a new perspective than what I had seen prior to the hike. I could see new parts of God’s creation and praise him for the opportunity to explore it.

This is what this Psalm reminds me of. Sometimes after we go through those difficult times in life, we see why we had to climb steep mountain sides. For, without the difficult climb we would not now see the beauty of God’s handiwork. Because of this blessing to see the wonderful things that God has done, we can, as the psalmist writes, “sing to the LORD a new song”.

-Hannah Deane

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you love about God’s creation?
  2. What helps keep you going through the difficult “climbs” and times?
  3. What difficult “climbs” have you gone through that now allow you to “Sing a new song”? How was the new song different from the old song?
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The Beginning

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1 & 2

Psalm Reading: Psalm 3

New Testament: Matthew 2

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3

The origin of the universe is a topic of serious debate in both Christian and secular culture.  There are many who spend their entire lives, tens of thousands of hours, dissecting chapter one of Genesis or looking for clues through a telescope of how we came to be.  While I hope to shed some “light” and context to today’s reading, you will be disappointed if you are looking for a detailed outline of theory or a presentation of observable evidence; you have the wrong blogger.  What has become apparent to me in my last couple of readings of Genesis is the simple significance of verse one of our sacred scripture.  Whether you argue the lifetime of the universe or the age of earth is thousands or billions of years old, God wanted you to know the understatement of eternity: He created the heavens. He created the earth.

The newest estimates place the universe somewhere at 93 billion lightyears across.  This space is  filled with roughly two trillion galaxies, each containing millions of stars. It’s incomprehensible, without description, unfathomable to our miniscule minds.  While there is “universal” truth when we look to the heavens (Psalm 8:1-4), it is no wonder God doesn’t bog us down with the details. The focus of this revealed narrative is on Earth; the light, the sky, the lands, the seas, the moon and sun, the animals, and finally, us. This makes perfect sense when we consider it was deliberately made for you and I to inhabit for eternity, not just for the handful of breaths that are in life as we know it. 

“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:26, 27

While all creation gives glory to God, much of it inspiring awe and wonder, we are the only creation that is directly made in the likeness of the Creator (Gen 1:26). The two-billion galaxy creating Heavenly Father has exalted you as the highest and most purposeful creation. Each one of your 100 trillion cells carry 3.2 billion pairs of unique DNA coding that makes you, you. Again, these are pretty profound and puzzling figures, speaking to the deliberate nature of God Almighty. Because we are made in his likeness, and through Christ are adopted as children of the Light, we have access to the God of the infinite expanse.  And He is not only the God of initial creation, but the God of new creation. The same power that raised Christ from the dead, can be the power that lives in each one of us (Eph. 1:18-21). Jesus has let it be known that there is a place that is being prepared for us according to this new covenant, so we may not only have access to God, but to fully dwell with our Father, God and His son, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah – this is the plan from the beginning.

–Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Where do you see God’s amazing qualities in His creation?
  2. What does it mean to you that you are made in His image?
  3. How would you describe the new creation (through Jesus)?
  4. Today is a really fun day to ask – What does God reveal about Himself to you in Genesis 1 & 2? What difference does that make in your relationship with God? Throughout the rest of our Bible reading this year, take note each time God’s creating is mentioned, it might be more than you think. You can create a marking, such as a C in a circle, to add in your Bible margins or journal pages whenever you find reference to God creating.
  5. Praise and thank Him for being the God he is!

(Editor’s Note: If you find yourself unsure of God’s creating – or enjoying more “proof” to share with others – keep searching. There are many scientific and well-researched articles with evidence pointing to the Creator of Genesis 1. You might be interested in starting with a series of devotions written for SeekGrowLove in January 2021 by Greg Landry. Click here for the first one.)

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The Creator’s Firstborn

Colossians 1

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Before Adam, before the fall, there stood Christ. While his life wouldn’t begin for another 4000 years, God had already set salvation in motion.  It is why the stars and the sand could speak to Abraham. It is how Isaiah could see visions of one crying out, “prepare the way”.  It was the fabric that held two genealogies together to come crashing into miraculous birth in Bethlehem. It is the very dead Jesus being raised by His Father to be the firstfruits of the resurrection and giving him preeminence as a King in the life to come.  

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  – Colossians 1:15-17

Jesus Christ wasn’t Plan B because of a fall of man in the Garden of Eden. He wasn’t a contingency plan to be used in emergencies only.  He is the culmination of God’s love for man and the inevitability of the selfish nature of freewill.  In him, through him, and for him, ALL things were created. Things of heaven. Things of earth. Things we can see. Things we can’t.  And it all makes sense because of his life.  God, the Father of Jesus, is the author of providence and will.  Jesus Christ has been given the place as the executor, the head, the mediator, our way back to God after wandering in the desert, ritualistic religion, or feeling foreign in our own body.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. – Colossians 1:21-23a

The fullness of the word of God is revealed.  It isn’t a mystery. It is available to anyone, anytime. No matter the amount of struggle or hate we fortify and reinforce in our minds, our hearts are attuned to Jesus because he is stitched and woven into every creation, including each one of us.  Oh, how God was mindful of us. He knew. His creation surrounds us and testifies of His glory, which in turn, is distilled in Jesus Christ. My prayer is we all recognize that the glory of God can exist in each one of us when we live as Jesus lived, placing the Firstborn of Creation into our hearts, and embracing the very context for existence.

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? – Psalm 8:1-4

-Aaron Winner

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. How would you describe Jesus, The Creator’s Firstborn, to someone who has never heard of him before?
  2. What does creation teach you about the Creator and His plans?
  3. What does it mean to you to be reconciled to God through Christ?
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Love that Endures Forever

Thursday July 14, 2022

Psalm 136

            “We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how about you?”

                        “We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how about you?”

            “We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how about you?”

                        “We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how about you?”

That takes me back over 40 years to my high school days.  The cheerleaders out on the sidelines leading the call and response cheer to help get the crowd involved and pumped up to keep the team motivated.

            Call and response is a part of the culture.  In music, particularly jazz and some rock and roll,  the call and response is a form of music with a long history.  One instrument plays a riff, and another answers back.

            Call and response is a big part of African worship.  I once preached a community service with several hundred in attendance including a sizeable contingent of black worshippers who really got into the call and response and kept me, the preacher, energized.

            The call and response is an old form of worship and Psalm 136 is a great example of how call and response was incorporated into the ancient Hebrew worship tradition.  As you look through this great Psalm of praise and worship it’s all about call and response.  One calls out,  “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good” and the other responds right back, “His love endures forever”.  The other calls back, “Give thanks to the God of gods.” And the other responds: “His love endures forever.” And so it goes, call and response, call and response.  It’s an interactive prayer in two voices and it tells a powerful story of Israel’s gratitude to God for his endless love and mercy and faithfulness to his people.

            With each successive call, this Psalm tells the story of God’s greatness.  God is greater than anything else that people worship.  God’s greatness is revealed by his acts of creation. He made the heavens, the lights, the sun and moon and stars, this part of the Psalm shows God’s universal greatness to all people.  Then, the Psalm shifts to how God reveals his greatness particularly to His people, Israel, by recalling the story of the Exodus and how God showed His faithfulness in delivering his people from slavery.

            With each call revealing God’s creative and saving acts there is a response proclaiming the permanence of God’s love.  The Hebrew word, “hesed” is a challenging one to translate.  If you look at various translations of Psalm 136 you will see it translated as love, mercy, steadfast love and faithfulness.  Hesed is a word so full of meaning that it takes a lot of words to try to capture the fullness of it’s meaning.  And that makes sense.  God’s love and mercy and faithfulness are so great and so dependable that it can’t be contained in one simple definition or translation.

            As you go about your day, pay attention to all of the ways that God reveals his love and mercy and faithfulness to you.  Be sure to give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, His love endures forever. 

            As an added bonus, listen to Michael W. Smith rock out on the song: Forever, which is based on this Psalm: https://youtu.be/3lPdtqgouCc

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

  1.  Choose one element of God’s power or character that is included in the Psalm and think about how God has revealed that to you in your life.
  2. Try writing your own Call and Response Psalm to God.  What parts of God’s story revealed in creation, the Bible and your own life experience would you include in the call?  Which element of God’s character would you magnify in the response?
  3. Do a word study on “Hesed” (Bible Gateway lets you compare multiple translations in parallel – for example, see Psalm 136:1 in various translations).  What would your definition of Hesed sound like?
2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload