Devotionals

When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Reflection: Genesis begins with God—not with us, not with chaos, not with chance. The first words establish ultimate reality: God is before all things and depends on nothing. He speaks, and reality obeys. When God says, “Let there be light,” He is not negotiating with darkness; He is commanding creation into form. This is a picture of how God still works: His Word is effective. The same God who gives physical light also gives spiritual light—opening blind eyes by grace.

Sometimes our hearts feel messy—like “darkness.” But God speaks and brings light. If He can speak light into creation, He can bring peace and clarity to us too.

How often do we place ourselves above God?

And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

Reflection: God separates waters from waters—creating expanse and structure. This is not arbitrary. It reveals God as the God of order, who forms a world fit for habitation. God’s rule is wise and purposeful, not random. He creates a world with distinctions—heaven and earth, sea and sky—so that life can thrive.

Spiritually, we resist boundaries because we confuse limits with oppression. But God’s limits are often mercies. His commands are not cages; they are guardrails for joy. God is making space for life to flourish.

What boundary has God given you (time, body, relationships, conscience) that you’re tempted to ignore?

And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

Reflection: God gathers seas, raises land, and causes vegetation to sprout—seed-bearing, fruitful, multiplying. This is not a fragile ecosystem hoping to survive. It is a gifted world, upheld by divine providence. Creation continues because God sustains it.

Notice the pattern: God speaks, creation responds, and God calls it “good.” The material world is not evil; it is good, though later fallen. 

God didn’t just make a world—He made a world that provides. When you eat, drink, and have what you need, you’re seeing God’s kindness. Even in hard seasons, God’s care is real.

Think about some of the “ordinary” provisions you usually overlook (clean water, a paycheck, a friend, a meal). Thank God specifically for those things.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

Reflection: God appoints lights to mark days and seasons. Time is not ultimate; God is. This is an example of God’s providence: He is not absent from your calendar. Your weeks are not meaningless cycles—they are theater for God’s glory and arenas for sanctification.

If God rules the heavens, God also rules your uncertainties. Your deadlines, your delays, your waiting—none of it is outside God’s care. 

Where might you be tempted to panic about the future? What would it look like to plan diligently while trusting God completely?

And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

Reflection: God fills sea and sky with living creatures and pronounces blessing—“Be fruitful and multiply.” Here we see abundance, diversity, motion, and beauty. Creation is not stingy; it is overflowing. God is good and generous—He is not reluctant to bless.

This also reminds us: life is received, not achieved. God gives life; we respond. That posture—receiving before doing—is foundational to grace. Christians obey not to earn God’s favor but because, in Christ, we’ve already been favored.

How does gratitude reshape the way you treat people, creation, and your own body? Take a moment for an act of generosity today—quietly, without needing recognition.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind and the cattle of every kind and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

So God created humans in his image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Reflection: The climax of Genesis 1 is not merely the creation of humans, but the declaration that humanity is made in the image of God—male and female—appointed to “dominion.” Dominion is never domination for selfish gain; it is stewardship under God’s authority. We rule by reflecting God’s character: justice, wisdom, mercy, truth.

Because every person bears God’s image, every person has value—at home, at school, in our neighborhood, even people who are hard to love. 

Saturday is also a great day to prepare for worship: we don’t just “fit God in.” We gather because He made us for Himself.

How can you prepare your heart tonight for the Lord’s Day?

1Then the Lord said to Moses, 2”See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3and I have filled him with all kinds of skills – 4to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6Moreover, I have appointed  Oholiab, son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him.  Also I have given the ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 7the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it,  and all the other furnishings of the tent – 8the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand – 10and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place.  They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

Reflection:  Wow!  This is a mouthful!!  We have a cast of names:  Bezalel, Uri, Hur, Oholiab, Ahisamak, Aaron, Moses, and some unnamed skilled workers.  We have two famous biblical people … Moses and Aaron, both of whom had Spirit-driven skills.  

Point: Never downplay your Spirit-driven skills if they don’t reach the level of the skills of Moses and Aaron!  

The Lord is referencing a construction site … the Tabernacle.  The Lord has a laundry list of items that need to be created for the Tabernacle, and the Lord mentions two specific people – Bezalel and Oholiab – who are going to spearhead this project.  Some commentaries refer to Bezalel and Oholiab as the first individuals directly described in Scripture as being filled with the Spirit of God to perform a specific task – the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Important:  Look in the mirror and reflect on the abilities that God has instilled in you …!

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Exodus 31:1-11 (Read all eleven verses again)  

Reflection:  Reflect on the various tasks that Bezalel, Oholiab, and the skilled workers were directed by God to complete: The Tent of Meeting and the Ark of the Covenant Law, i.e. structures; the furnishings; and the sacred items.  This is really technical stuff … craftsmanship par excellence, and working in just about every medium imaginable … wood, stone, bronze, silver and gold.  Truism:  They had to be empowered by the Spirit!!  

Is your mirror all fogged up from reflecting on the abilities that God has graced you with?!  Ephesians  tells us that we are God’s workmanship … we are God’s masterpiece; we are God’s canvas, his work of art!  The Spirit of God is in us, actively working for his glory … the Good News of his creation!

4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

13For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body …27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Reflection:  God gives many gifts to the people of his church, and he spreads those gifts around  so that members of his body can complement each other and accomplish more when working together, tapping into the full range of available  gifts.  All spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit with the purpose of building up Christ’s body … the church!  God is completely involved in the giving, using, and empowering of gifts.  God creates a unique place in the body for every believer.  Gifts and ministries may overlap, but each believer has a specialized, God-designed role.  Part of the adventure of giving our lives to God is discovering your spiritual gifts and watching God use them to accomplish more for his kingdom.

Again, all believers are baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body of believers – the church, which is God’s family. 

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:  Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we, though many, form one body, each member belongs to all the others.  6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.  If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Reflection:  When  we look at the gifts of the Spirit given to Bezalel and Oholiab, it is referred to as craftsmanship.  In Ephesians, we see the term workmanship.  In Romans, we see many practical or secular gifts.  But what ties them all together?  Your answer ________________________________.

Look at all three Scriptures again … Exodus, 1 Corinthians, and Romans.  

Reflection:  Comparing the Old Testament with the New Testament readings …

(1) What is the purpose of the OT and NT?  

Ans:  OT – benefits Israel’s worship; NT – benefits the “body” of Christ.

(2) What was the specific goal of the OT?   What is the goal of the NT?

Ans: ___________________________

(3) What was (is) the source driving the OT and NT passages?

Ans:____________________________

1Then the Lord said to Moses, 2”See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3and I have filled him with all kinds of skills – 4to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6Moreover, I have appointed  Oholiab, son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him.  Also I have given the ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 7the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it,  and all the other furnishings of the tent – 8the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand – 10and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place.  They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

Reflection:  Truism 1:  Every gift, every ability is a gift of grace from the Spirit.

Truism 2:  If God calls you to a task, God then creates within you the ability to accomplish                        

the task.

God, when addressing Bezalel, Oholiab, plus the skilled workers, expected them to be receptive and attentive.  Being receptive meant pouring out the full measure of their craftsmanship for the Lord and Israel.  Being attentive meant focusing on the Lord; honoring the Spirit that the Lord gave to them.

For us … God addressed us through Jesus and the cross.  Jesus held nothing back.  Jesus poured out his life like a drink offering, because giving was a part of his nature.  So, for us today, God searches for people who are, in full measure,  receptive and  attentive.  Being receptive means opening your innermost being to be filled with God’s Spirit and receiving the glorious riches that God provides.  Being attentive means focusing your mind, your heart, your life on Jesus, then you will receive a glorious gift … the perfect peace of Jesus.  Amen.