Creation

Maybe you wonder, Why did God make all of this? Was He bored? Did He need something to do or someone to talk to? God is never bored or lonely, and He never needs anything.

God doesn’t want to be entertained. He doesn’t look for distractions to pass the time. Remember, as the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—God was perfectly content before creating anything, which means creation comes from the overflow of love and inventiveness shared within the Trinity. God created, not because something was “missing,” but because that’s what artists do—they create!

God did not need tools or supplies to bring everything into creation. Instead, He did what only He could miraculously do. He made everything from nothing. We can’t even comprehend that! Theologians use a Latin phrase to describe this mystery: ex nihilo, which means “out of nothing.” In the presence of God, nothing becomes something. As human beings, we’re far from having that kind of power, but God is omnipotent, remember? He’s all-powerful! The Bible says, “God said . . . and God saw” (Genesis 1:3–31). That’s how strong God’s words are. He speaks, and things appear.

In Genesis, God told Adam and Eve to rule over the created world (Genesis 1:26–28). They were to work in the garden, come alongside God as co-creators, and tend the earth by pruning, cutting, building, and cultivating more beauty. All of creation belongs to God, so those of us who love God want to take care of His world. As we go about life, we can strive to be good stewards of everything God has made. We can improve the lives of people who come after us by doing things like recycling, finding ways to care for animals, or even starting a garden and growing our own vegetables.

Discuss with your child:

Imagine what it would be like if God had created a world that was entirely dull and dim—no beautiful colors, no glorious sea life or rain forests or sunsets.

• How would our lives be different?
• Why do you think God made our world with such beauty?