Faith Talk: Praise Our Creator!

Summer is a natural time to reflect on the power and creativity of God displayed in all of creation! Use these eight ideas to adore God and enjoy the earth. These devotions come from “God’s Big Story Cards”—a new devotional game from Faith Alive.

Night and Day: Read Genesis 1:1-5

• Before the earth was anything, God was there. God is amazing and powerful! Think of other words that describe God. Say them all during a popcorn prayer.
• Turn off all the lights or take a flashlight and go to a dark place. Wait a moment, then turn on all the lights or shine the flashlight. Applaud God for creating light!
• Tell about a time that you made something by yourself. What did it feel like to create something new or different? What items did you use for your creation?

Water and Sky: Read Genesis 1:6-8
• What sounds do you think the water made when God commanded it to separate?
• Give everyone two glasses with different amounts of water. Tap out sounds on the glasses. Signal when to stop so everyone can call out, “Praise God for water!”
• Not everyone has clean water to drink. Search online to find out about organizations that help get clean water for people. How can you help? If you aren’t able to search right now, pray for those people and those who are helping them.

Earth, Seas, and Plants: Read Genesis 1:9-13
• Which fruit and vegetable are you most thankful for?
• Name as many kinds of fruits and vegetables as you can think of. Wonder about how God could have thought of so many different colors and shapes and sizes and tastes!
• Eat a fruit or vegetable as a celebration of God’s great creation of food. If you’d like to grow your own vegetables, do an online search on how to start a bean growing project.

Sun, Moon, and Stars: Read Genesis 1:14-19
• Imagine what life would be like if there was just one long day with no beginning and no ending. What would be different about your day?
• Plan to view a sunrise or sunset together. Then draw or paint a picture of it or describe it in words.
• Shout hooray for God who created night and day! Hooray for God who created big lights and smaller lights! Hooray for God who separated light from dark! (Add more of your own.)

Fish and Birds: Read Genesis 1:20-25
• Why do you think God blessed the birds and the fish? Can you see ways God has blessed them?
• Find out some facts about your favorite birds or sea animals.
• Praise God by forming a creature choir. One person is the director. When the director points to someone, that person will make a bird or sea creature sound. If the director holds up two fingers, make the sound two times; if four fingers, four times, and so on.

Animals and People: Genesis 1: 24-31
• Retell the story on a sheet of paper. Draw the sky, land and sea, plants, birds, and fish. As the story is read again, use your fingers to hop, run, and crawl across the page when God creates animals. Then use walking fingers to show the man and the woman.
• God gave people the greatest blessing. It included being like God and filling the earth. Why do you think God did that?
• Repeat these words together: Praise be to God/ in whom I live,/ move,/ and have my being./ Amen.

Rest: Read Genesis 2:1-3
• Why do you think God would rest? What is the best part of resting?
• If you are able, go outside and find a quiet place to stand or sit. Otherwise look out the window at the world God made. Whenever you notice something of beauty, point it out or describe it. End with a big “Thank you, God!”
• Sing a song such as “He’s Got the Whole World” or “All Creation Cries to You (God Is Great)” or “All Thing Bright and Beautiful.” (Look for a recording online and sing along, if you’d like.)

Taking Care of Creation: Read Genesis 2:8-9, 15-24
• Why do you think God let Adam name all the animals? If you could change any animal names, what would they be?
• Pray together by joining hands and take turns naming something God created for which you are thankful. Give everyone two or three or even more turns!
• Plan a way you can take care of God’s world together. (Some ideas: go for a garbage collecting walk, plant something, use less electricity, gather paper scraps and make each person a notebook.)