TEXT: Genesis 1:11-25

God looked over the world that He had been making. He liked what He had done so far. Grass covered the earth, spreading a lovely coat of green over the bare ground. Trees of every kind were growing. Some of them were tall and thin. Others were short and wide. Blossoms were on some of the trees and fruit on others. Beautiful flowers bloomed, filling the air with their sweet perfume. There were red flowers and yellow flowers, pink ones and purple.

Yet, something very important was still missing. In all the sea and sky, there were no living creatures. So God spoke again. By His command the waters were suddenly filled with fish. There were big gray whales and tiny goldfish. There were fat trout swimming in the lakes, and shiny silver salmon gliding through the streams. Crabs and turtles crawled along the golden sand at the edges of the ocean waves.

God wanted something special to fill the sky. This time, when He spoke, colorful birds of every kind began to fly through the air. Some of the birds were big, with strong wings that could carry them long distances. Little tiny hummingbirds, no bigger than your thumb, moved from flower to flower. Peacocks strutted about, showing their beautiful tail feathers. The noisy woodpeckers began tapping away with their long beaks. God created all this on the fifth day, and He saw that it was good.

Now there were living things in the sky and in the sea. But there was nothing yet to live on the land. So on the beginning of the sixth day, God spoke once again. He made animals of every size, shape, and color. There were shaggy lions whose loud roars filled the air. Monkeys with long, skinny tails chattered in the trees. Big gray elephants swung their long trunks. Squirrels ran here and there across the ground. Puppies playfully chased kittens around the trees. God looked around at all the animals, and He was pleased. He liked them!

Now the earth was alive with many things, both plants and animals. God wanted it to stay that way.

He had given the beautiful growing plants seeds. That way, new trees and flowers could spring up later. To the animals, He gave babies that looked just like them, so there could always be lions and monkeys, elephants and squirrels, and all the other animals.

God loved all of His creation. He blessed it because it was good.

PARENT’S CORNER

This week, focus on the wonderful variety of plants and animals God made. Visit a pet shop, or look at pictures of animals, and then discuss how God gave each animal special characteristics. Why didn’t God give the monkey webbed feet like a duck? Why does an elephant have a trunk instead of a long neck like a giraffe?

On another day, collect different kinds of leaves from plants around your house or yard. Study them using a magnifying glass or a microscope if you have one. How are the plants different? How are they alike?

FAMILY DEVOTIONS