Finding God in Creation-Genesis 1

Genesis, Old Testament

Happy Sunday! Let’s read this passage responsively from Genesis 1. The title of my message is “Finding God in Creation.” The key verse is Genesis 1:31a:
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Today’s sermon will focus on this passage in the first part, with other verses and practical examples in the second part. Let’s pray for today’s service.

Part I: The Elegance of God’s Direct Creation

Verses 1-2 introduce to us who God is and what He was doing at the beginning of time. Not a single thing, animate or inanimate, existed in the entire universe. Only God’s presence existed, as He hovered over nothingness. How can creation be made from nothing? Is God like Tony Stark building his first Iron Man suit, where He can create complexities out of scraps or practically nothing? No, God is far more powerful than this as He Himself did what still cannot be explained by science: creating matter from nothing. God, having formed the system of physics, in all His power, goes beyond the laws followed by it; Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” God didn’t just take scraps that were lying around to build what He had in mind. He formed creation, and all of its systems that make it function, from nothing at all. This establishes that God Himself is the lone creator of this universe, and He is indeed an all-powerful one.

Verses 3 to 5 jump into the first day of creation, with it being light. Why would God create light first, instead of the land itself, or His most-prized creation, humanity? When an engineer enters their workshop, or a scientist into their lab, or a student getting ready to write a paper, what is the first thing they do? They must turn on the lights in order to see what exactly they wish to create. Light was created so His creation can see and enjoy all that was made. Light does not only give us the option to see, but it is what also creates color. God brilliantly (no pun intended) incorporated the concept of color into what is visible light. This works through the reflection of light: our eyes contain cones that reflect light wavelengths that have been absorbed by objects. God did not opt for a monochromatic or black-and-white world; no, He decided to fill it abundantly with the entire spectrum of gorgeous colors. The human eye can interpret up to 10 million different colors! God created color so that we can not only see and enjoy what He created, but that we can always remember Him when we do see beauty, since He was the sole author of creation!

After creating light and the color spectrum, God then created the sky and atmosphere on Day 2, recorded in verses 6-8. Jumping two days ahead, in verses 14-19 on Day 4, God accompanies the sky with the creation of outer space, including every single star, planet, and moon in the universe. As mentioned in 6-8, an atmosphere was created to separate living creation from the rest of creation. The precise location of Planet Earth still puzzles many scientists today; Just a slight percentage of distance closer or further away from the sun would immediately destroy all life and make Earth uninhabitable. It is not by pure chance that this planet is located exactly where it is, and exactly where it needs to be. If God did indeed create every system in this universe, such as mathematics, physics, and biology, He did so with great intent and with exact measurements for it to be habitable. And space itself is a complete anomaly when it comes to human understanding: so far, there are up to 2 septillion, or 2 followed by 24 zeroes, stars observed by mankind, and billions of planets in our galaxy alone. Since it is usually impossible to do in the city, next time you’re out of Chicago and away from big city lights, I challenge you to look up at night and into the depths of the sky. As you look up, ask yourself, did sheer chance create every single one of these stars and planets? Or was it in fact a creator that made these wonderful and immaculate systems in space?

The 3rd Day covers the creation of all dry land and plants. Verses 9 and 10 state how God commanded the Earth to form dry land. Every biome, climate, and environment was carefully crafted by God. From the Great Plains of the Midwest, where we are, to the mountains of the Alps or the savannahs of the Saharra, the beauty found in these places all point back to God and His good creation. Climate/weather disasters came after the Fall, but before then, the ecosystem and weather worked harmoniously and perfectly. Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the world was not too hot or big, not too cold or small, but just right. Again, we are seeing God’s intentional design to not only make things function in the world, but to please creation as well. And the plants that inhabit the world seem to be endless; about 2,000 plants are newly discovered each year, with an estimated 435,000 different plants living out in this massive world. As we know, plants are living creatures, having to rely on the light created in Day 1 to photosynthesize and live. So, life itself began on Earth on the 3rd Day, with God deliberately and perfectly creating light on the 1st Day. He inhabited the world with plants before living creatures, like animals and us humans, so that we have fruit to enjoy and survive upon.

Speaking of life, let’s continue to find God in the following days, Days 5 and 6. In verse 20, God says, “let the water teem with living creatures.” The definition of teem is “to be full of or swarming with.” God was not kidding when He said to swarm the waters of the Earth with fish. Right now, there is a recorded 242,000 marine species, with estimates of the actual number reaching 2 million! What’s even more shocking is that despite huge advancements in our technology, especially in the 20th and 21st century, only about a quarter of just the seafloor has been observed. And less than 0.001% of the deep sea has been observed, and the deep sea makes up 90% of the volume of the ocean! In other words, there is still a gigantic amount of ocean to still explore, new plants and creatures to find, and maybe even Big Nessie herself can still be discovered! And it doesn’t stop with just sea creatures. God spent the time to individually create up to almost 8 million different animals and birds for us to live with and enjoy.

Before I continue with the creation story, I want to mention a few things. I mention all these numbers and statistics not to intimidate you or impress you with knowledge, but to really drive the point that God is an extremely powerful and creative being that deliberately spent His time to very carefully craft such an incredible world! It all points to some divine creator, let alone the Judeo-Christian God.  Additionally, I want to bring up the topic of creationism vs theistic evolution, or Old vs. New World belief. Many Christians today pose arguments and reasonings for each belief. Now, it is important to know that this debate does not determine salvation. Believing either side does not condemn you from the Gates of Heaven. Considering this, I would like to provide arguments for both sides.

Creationism argues that the Bible and God’s Word in Genesis 1 and thereafter are literal; the world and universe were created in seven actual days, as stated by the passage itself. And it was after the Fall and the Great Flood that this world became imperfect. Henry Morris, the acclaimed “father of the modern young-Earth creationist movement,” states, “The Bible is the only true account of the origin of all things. If we do not believe it as literal history, we have no absolute foundation for science, morality, or our faith.” Creationists believe that if we cannot accept the creation story as literal, then what else can be relied upon in the Bible? God’s Word is divine and prophetically-inspired, so why question the legitimacy of the account of creation in Genesis?

On the other hand, theistic evolution argues that the scripture in Genesis 1 is figurative; God’s or Moses’s (the author) written words of 7 days is not the same days we experience or think of. Additionally, using the many pieces of evidence that point to the theory of evolution as we know today helps explain this: God used a process to create this world, including evolution itself. Theistic evolution also helps support the Big Bang Theory; God works in a process to create something (this planet and life) out of nothing. Francis Collins, former director of the famed Human Genome Project, states “I have found the God of the Bible to be consistent with the God revealed in the laws of nature. I see no conflict between science and faith; evolution is God’s tool for creation.” Theistic evolution does not deny God’s divinity of the Bible itself, but rather the interpretation of the Word and the creation story. I invite you all to explore where you stand on this debate, and why you do. Discuss and research with others to help bring interest in the Word of God and who God is. Again, this does not determine salvation and is ultimately not important in being saved.

Moving on from these thoughts, let’s get back to the closing verses in Genesis 1:24-31. Now, we have already discussed animals previously, so I will focus on the creation of humans. God states, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” God decided to bless us with one of the greatest blessings of all: being formed like Him. Our bodies and minds are shaped to be like God’s, where we can move, create with our hands, and think intelligently like God. I was always told college would try and turn you against God and faith. But it was through courses like Anatomy and Physiology did I find God even more. Your body is so carefully made, that each and every system not only functions complexly on its own, but synergistically with each other, reacting to the world in response as well. Trillions upon trillions of cells, every second, are working to make a functioning body, one with 86 billion neurons, a heart that beats 100,000 times a day, a skeleton that regenerates every 10 years, and countless other facts that I encourage you to research on. It only mesmerizes me to find and discover this incredible creation that God specially made for us.

Life and our bodies are incredible blessings from God, making human life His most precious creation. Having nearly died twice before in my life, once from a suicide attempt, and another from a cardiac episode which included a vision of the doorways into Heaven itself. Because of these experiences, I treasure human life especially. I have always treasured others’ lives, being as helpful and caring as possible when I could, but it wasn’t until last year did I finally treasure my own. My depression and suicidality essentially stopped that day in June 2024.

Because life is so precious, I feel compelled to speak on a highly controversial topic: abortion. While deeply painful and complex, Scripture shows us the value of every human life, born or unborn. As Genesis states, we are each and individually made unique in God’s likeness. Additionally, the following are verses that support the idea that all life is precious, unborn or born: (Psalm 139:13; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:44; Matthew 19:14). Jesus Himself states throughout His ministry how precious children are in the eyes of God. He wants us to protect them at all costs, and to foster them into men and women of God.

According to the CDC, abortions account for more deaths in the United States annually, more than any other single cause. I have spent many hours researching both sides; I try to understand to the best of my ability that pregnancy and labor are extremely unpleasant. It is especially so if you do not have the funds or means to care for the whole process. However, in the US, we have not only the system of adoption services, but an additional system where mothers can safely surrender their newborns to fire stations or hospitals, no questions asked. As Psalm 127:3 reminds us: “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” This calls us to cherish and protect every life, reflecting God’s image in how we value His creation.

Returning to Genesis 1:31a, and the key verse of this sermon, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” God could have easily stopped after creating the Earth and stars, but it was not until humanity was created did He say, “it was very good.” On Days 1-5, each day concludes with, “and God saw that it was good.” But the phrase “very good” in 31 exemplifies how important creation of mankind was. Psalm 8:3-4 asks, “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?” How can such broken people be so pleasing to the Lord? God could have simply wiped humanity entirely clean after Adam and Eve’s fall, yet He chose to remain with us and even suffer with us. So, as we found earlier, God is not only an all-powerful God and creator. He is also an all-loving God, for someone to still accept us after all our sins and mistakes. Let us always remember that through His Son’s sacrifice, we will always be loved and forgiven by the Almighty.

Part II: The Elegance of Divinely-inspired Creation

Outside of finding God directly through His creation and admiring His beauty, we can also find God in our own creations. Genesis 1 shows us how God created the world, so now the question is: what do we do with it? Verses 26 to 30 help explain what humanity is supposed to do. Like God, as we are made in his image, we were given the ability to create and rule over the world. God tells us to care for every animal, bird, and fish, and to also tend and eat from every plant. To do so, and especially as tribes and the world grew in great numbers, God has allowed us the creation and use of tools. Not only could we rule over the land better with these tools, but we could also create beauty with them.  In just eight years, Pope Sixtus IV had the Sistine Chapel built in Rome. Using intricate tools to construct and make such a beautiful place, and the minds behind the construction and art help show and point to the beauty of God. There are countless other forms of art, like da Vinci’s collections, that help encapsulate and “paint a picture” of what it feels like to experience God’s glory.

Television and the internet are another creation that can encapsulate God’s image in an artful or symbolic way. Paul Vischer and Mike Nawrocki are the brilliant minds behind Veggietales. Created as one of the earliest forms of modern, 3D CGI, Veggietales was made by these two men to reach many children worldwide with the story of the Bible, presented in a kid-friendly, humorous format. They spent many hours dedicated to finding the best way to tell God’s story in kids’ television. And they were initially incredibly successful. With over 75 million videos and 16 million books sold, they ranked high with how popular the series was becoming across the world. However, and a key point to remember about our own creations, whether divinely-inspired or not, they all eventually fail and fade away.  2 Corinthians 4:18 speaks about this and what to do. Everything on this Earth, including our own creations, is temporary and will fade.  Veggietales downfall happened when the production of their first major-motion picture, Jonah, took twice the budget to create and did not receive much box office in response.

One may ask, if Veggietales was bringing so many closer to God, why did it fail? Like everything else, whether it’s for good or evil, everything fades. It was through human mistakes that over-inflated the budget, underpaid their workers, and brought a lower-than-expected value post-release. Greed could have potentially caused this, but it is without a doubt that it was man’s mistakes that caused its ending. And this is a crucial lesson to remember: no matter how good or beautiful you think your creation is, as long as it served God in some way, it has served its purpose. Only the Lord and his gifts of everlasting life are eternal, all else shall fade away.  Isaiah 40:8 reads, “the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

So, what’s the takeaway from this message? We have learned that through Genesis 1, God is an all-powerful creator who carefully and intricately created each and every thing and living being in the universe. We can find God through His creation by carefully studying and researching it, with each discovery pointing closer to how powerful God really is. But God is also an all-loving God, who cares for each of us, watching over us even before we’re born. Despite our brokenness and sin, He still treasures us as His most prized creation. And with the gift of creation and the ability to create, let us enjoy and make beautiful things that will please God. Whether that be relationships, our work effort, sports, art and music, engineering, or any other type of creation, let it all be for the glory of God. Let us continue to search and find God every day in what His immaculate creation is! Let’s pray.

Bible Study Questions

What do these quotes tell you?

  1. Martin Luther: “God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”
  2. CS Lewis: “The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.” (“I believe in Christianity as I believe in the sun. Not because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.“)
  3. Annie Dillard: “I walk in the world, which is a miracle of wonder.”
  4. John Calvin: “Everything in (creation) tells us of God.”
  5. A.W. Tozer: “The universe is alive with the life of God.”

  1. What do the key actions God takes (“God said,” “God saw,” “God separated,” “God called,” “God made”) reveal about God (Ps 115:3; Isa 46:10)?
  2. What is the significance of the phrase “it was good” at the end of each day (Gen 1:10, 12, 18, 21), and, finally, “it was very good” at the end of the 6th day (Gen 1:31; Ps 136:1)?
  3. What does God creating by His word teach about Him (Jn 1:1-3; 6:63)? Is this different from human acts of making or building? How?
  4. How does being created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) affect how you view yourself and how how you interact with others? How has sin and the fall affected man (Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9; Isa 64:6; Rom 1:23, 25)?
  5. When did you last stop to truly marvel at something in creation—a starry night, a complex ecosystem, the human body? Do you live with a sense of wonder and worship of the Creator (Exo 3:3, 5; Rom 1:20)?
  6. What does it mean to you to “rule over” or steward creation (Gen 1:28)?
  7. How does God Himself resting on the 7th day, blessing it and making it holy (Gen 2:2-3) teach you about the rhythm of work and rest modeled by God (Exo 20:9-10; Col 3:23)?

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see your glory and character reflected in the world you have made.

  1. Do you look for God in the spectacular (sunsets, mountains)? Do you find God’s fingerprint in the ordinary, everyday aspects of creation?
  2. What is one specific action you can take this week to more intentionally seek God through His creation? (e.g., take a walk without headphones, stargaze, plant something, thank God for the food you eat).
  3. What repeated words or phrases stand out in Genesis 1? What effect do these repetitions have?
  4. How does God bring order out of chaos [“formless, empty” (Gen 1:2)] (Gen 1:4), (Gen 1:6-7)? Bring comfort in a world—in you—that is often chaotic?
  5. How does God sustain life in the world (Gen 1:28a, Gen 1:29)? Show generosity and care for His creation?
  6. Where do you see evidence of God’s intelligent design and order in the natural world around you (Psalm 19:1)? How can acknowledging this design strengthen your faith when you face uncertainty?
  7. What are practical ways you can honor God by caring for His world, recognizing that it ultimately belongs to Him?
  8. How can observing Sabbath rest be an act of faith and a way to find God?

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