Beliefnet is pleased to present an inspirational devotional from the gifted Christian author Brian McLaren. This is week 1 of the 8 week-long devotional. If you missed the previous entries, stay subscribed to this feed to start over.
Before anything is created, God exists. God is One–a community of Father, Son, Spirit in an eternal dance of giving and receiving love and joy. From God’s fullness come the words, “LET THERE BE!” And everything we know–and more that we don’t–springs into being. We are created “in God’s image”–capable of knowing, enjoying, obeying, and partnering with God. We walk with God in the cool of the day, in harmony with our fellow creatures of earth. Our story begins!

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 . . . . (Genesis 1:1)

JOURNALING PROMPTS:
1. If possible, get outdoors, into some corner or place where you can experience the goodness of creation. Describe in detail one simple facet of creation that you can see or feel.
2. Remember one of your favorite places and moments when you could sense the goodness of creation. Describe that goodness. Why is its memory important to you?
3. You and your body are part of creation. Describe some aspect of creation that you see in yourself. This isn’t bragging–it’s being grateful and aware!
4. Write your reflections on creation in the form of a prayer or psalm, echoing Psalm 8, 19, or 104. Remember that nobody in the history of the universe has been given exactly your perspective on creation’s goodness: you see things in a way nobody else has ever seen.
–Brian McLaren