Focus verse
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
Read
- Genesis 1:1–5 and 1:26–31
- Psalm 139:1–14
- 1 John 4:7–10
Teaching
The Bible does not open by arguing that God exists. It opens with God already there, acting: “In the beginning, God created.” Before there was a sky over Eldoret, before the first sunrise over the Rift Valley, God was. Everything else had a beginning; God did not.
God is the Creator. He made the heavens and the earth by His word. That means the world is not an accident, and neither are you. Genesis 1:27 says God made people in His own image. Every person you meet today, at home, at work or on the matatu, carries that image and deserves dignity.
God is personal and near. In Psalm 139 David is amazed that God knows when he sits and when he rises, and even his thoughts before he speaks. The God who made the stars is not distant. He knows your name, your story and your struggles.
God is holy. He is perfectly good, pure and right. There is no darkness in Him at all. His holiness is why sin matters, which we will see in Lesson 4.
God is love. 1 John 4:8 puts it simply: “God is love.” Love is not only something God does; it is who He is. And verse 9 shows how He proved it: He sent His Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
So the God of the Bible is great enough to create everything, holy enough to be trusted completely, and loving enough to come close. That is the God this whole study is about, and He invites you to know Him, not just to know about Him.
Reflect
- Before today, how would you have described God in one sentence?
- Which truth from Psalm 139 surprises or comforts you most, and why?
- If God made every person in His image, how should that change the way you treat one person you find difficult?
Respond
- Read Psalm 139:1–14 again slowly tomorrow morning. Underline one line that speaks to you.
- Write one sentence that starts: “Because God is love, I can…”
Pray
Father, thank You that You made me and You know me completely. Help me to know You, not just know about You. Open my eyes as I study Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.