TEXT: Genesis 1:9-13, 20-25

A long time ago there was no dry land at all. There was water everywhere! God knew that part of His creation would need dry land so He said, “Let the dry land appear.” And it did!

God wanted the land to be beautiful. He covered parts of it with green grass so we could have parks, pastures, and yards. Isn’t it fun to play in the grass and feel it tickle your toes?

God made all the grains of sand. There is sand in the desert where the cactus plants grow. God put some of it by the ocean so we could build sand castles at the beach.

He made different kinds of flowers ­red roses, white daisies, yellow daffodils, and so many more. And they smell so sweet!

God made many kinds of trees. There are forests of trees that are used to build houses. There are orchards of trees that grow fruit such as apples, oranges, and pears. He made nut trees so we could enjoy walnuts, pecans, and almonds.

He made vegetables—more kinds than we can name. Bright orange carrots, juicy red tomatoes, big brown potatoes, and leafy green lettuce are just a few of the things God put on the earth for us to eat. Can you think of some others? What are your favorites?

Flowers, trees, and vegetables all grew on the land that God had made. The world was finally ready for living creatures.

First God created the things that would live in the water—big sharks for the ocean and little trout for the lakes. He made the tiny goldfish that swim in fish bowls, and the huge whales that swim in the ocean.

Then God made the birds that fly in the air—chirping sparrows, noisy crows, and ducks that quack. Blue birds and black birds, brown birds and white birds were created for us to enjoy.

Finally God made the animals that live on the land. He made big tigers that roar, elephants that wave their trunks, and tiny insects that crawl.

He made some animals that are fun to have as pets, like cuddly kittens that meow and frisky puppies that wiggle and play with you.

Some animals are not meant to live with us. The big bears and graceful deer live in the woods. The alligators belong in the warm rivers. We can see many of these animals when we visit the zoo.

God saw that everything he made was good, and that made Him happy. God made these for us to enjoy too, because He loves us.

An awareness of the beautiful world God created for us to enjoy is something that should be developed in each child. This lesson is about God’s creation of the plants and animals. Now would be a good time for you to help your child become more observant of God’s creation’s in the world around us.

Make some nature lists together. Have your child name as many kinds of dogs as he can think of. Or let him name all the names of flowers or birds that he knows.

For a hands-on activity this week, let your child make a punch-dot mosaic. Have him draw a simple outline of a butterfly or flower on a piece of paper, and then fill in the outline by gluing on dots punched from various colors of paper.

FAMILY DEVOTIONS