Devotionals for Kids
Genesis 1-8
Michael Perry
Jonathan Perry
Welcome to the one thing you can do that will change your life and can change the world!
As you learned at SpringHill, God has graciously provided us His words and messages in the Bible.
But to think of the Bible as a book of rules, or an owner’s manual, or even just a collection of letters
and stories is to miss its true nature and power. The Bible is more than these things, it’s one big,
exciting and challenging story, it’s the story, the story about God, the world and His love for His
people. This story takes us from the moment God created the universe to the creation of us, His
people, designed for a special mission on earth with a unique relationship with Him. Early on in the
story, we learn of the one single act that cut off our relationship with God, followed by the rest of the
story, which is a record of His intentional work to restore that relationship as well as reclaim and
restore His world.
So beyond this incredible story, why should you invest time in reading the Bible? First, it’s God’s
Word and it tells us the most important story in the world. When the God who created all things,
including us, gives us a story, we’re wise to read it. Secondly, because the Bible itself promises that
those who read God’s Word will be changed by God’s Spirit. In other words, reading the Bible is a
spiritual exercise that does spiritual things to us. Finally, because if our goal is to grow closer to
Jesus, so we can become more like Him, we need to know more about Him. And the best source of
knowing God, and understanding Him and His Son Jesus, is in the pages of the Bible.
This is why we’ve designed and produced this Bible reading program. Our goal is that these journals
will help you begin the practice of daily Bible reading. The schedule is simple - you’ll read about one
chapter a day, 6 days a week, with the goal of finishing the entire Bible in three years. All it’ll require
is 10 minutes a day of your time. That’s it.
So make the commitment to do the one thing that can change your life and change the world, begin
making Bible reading one of your daily commitments.
We hope you enjoy these devotionals, and we hope to see you again at SpringHill.
Sincerely,
Michael and Jonathan Perry
Devotionals for Kids
2 Day 17: Genesis 1
The beginning of the Bible is the right place to read about how the world began. In this first
chapter of Genesis, we read a poetic version about the creation of the universe, the earth,
and everything in and on it. Now it is important to understand that there are a number of
different interpretations held by faithful and intellectual people about the exact details
concerning the creation of the world. These different interpretations create great debate
but they are not the most important messages that come from this chapter of the Bible.
The clear truths that all faithful people agree to are both clear and foundational to our
understanding of the world, people, and God. The first clear and foundational truth is that
God created ALL things and He did so with intentionality and purpose. Secondly, God
created people and He created them different from the rest of the creatures. People, unlike
all other creatures, are created in God’s image, meaning they have some of the God-like
qualities other creatures do not have. Qualities such as being able to make moral and
ethical decisions, to create, invent, and most importantly - to have a relationship with God
Himself and commune intimately with Him.
Going Deeper:
1. When God created everything he said it was good. Are there days when you do not
feel like a good person? Remembering that we were made in God’s image can
bring about encouragement.
2. God put us above animals and the earth, so what responsibilities do we have?
3. How do you commune with God? Where do you personally sense and enjoy God’s
presence in creation?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
3 Day 18: Genesis 2
After the poetic overview of the creation of the world in the first chapter, chapter 2 takes us
a little deeper into one specific part of creation – human beings. In particular, we learn
more about the creation of the first man and woman; Adam and Eve. We learn of their
purpose, their work, and their relationships to God and each other. People were created to
care for the very world that God had created. He has put us in charge to make this world
even better than it was when He originally created it. God has also placed boundaries
around how we do this work and how we relate to Him and to each other. Lastly, God
defined appropriate and significance of the relationship between men and women and how
that fits into His plan for us to care for the world. None of this has changed for us. We are
called to do the same work and relationships should all fall within the same boundaries as
Adam and Eve. The only difference is that something entered the world that distorted all of
this. We will find out what that something is in chapter 3.
Going Deeper:
1. God made us out of dust; does that give you an idea of the scope of God’s
magnificent power?
2. What in the creation story is the most awe inspiring to you?
3. God gave boundaries in relationships. How has our culture today altered that
boundary?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
4 Day 19: Genesis 3
Adam and Eve were living in a literal paradise. The Garden of Eden was peaceful, beautiful,
and a sanctuary (a place to meet God). His mission for Adam and Eve was to fill the earth
with people and make the earth one large, beautiful garden like Eden. In other words, the
entire earth would be paradise. Enter Genesis 3 where all that changed dramatically, it all
went wrong. You see, this plan depended on the intimate relationship between God and
His people (walking in the garden together). This relationship, like all relationships, needed
to be built on trust and faithfulness. This trust started with Adam and Eve being obedient
to God’s few and simple commands. Unfortunately Adam and Eve broke trust. They did
exactly what God asked them not to do. The results of this broken trust (pain, suffering, a
broken relationship with God, and death) was devastating for Adam and Eve and for all
their offspring ever since. Evil entered the world for the first time... it would permeate every
part of life from that point forward.
Going Deeper:
1. What can you learn from the relationship of Adam, Eve and God? How can you
apply what happened to your friends today?
2. God’s mission for Adam and Eve was to make the word a paradise. With sin, we
can’t do that. How can you personally make this world a better place?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
5 Day 20: Genesis 4
Once sin and evil entered the world, everything began to spin out of control. Adam and
Eve had children just as God commanded them to do. Yet having children seemed only to
spread sin and evil more throughout the earth. For example, Adam and Eve’s first two
children (Cain and Abel) did not get along. Cain, the oldest son, was jealous of his younger
brother Abel. This led to Cain’s premeditated murder of Abel followed by his strong denial
(he lied) when questioned by God. Murder, even today, is the highest crime a person can
commit. It’s the worse evil because murder is the destruction of a person created in the
image of God. Murder is also the greatest example of the loss of shalom (peace and
harmony) between people. The loss of shalom is the most visible consequence of sin and
evil entering the world. It starts with our loss of shalom with God, and Then as we read
today, the loss of shalom between people. Finally, as we’ll see in the next few chapters, the
loss of shalom occurs with God’s creation. However, the Good News is we can find
shalom again with God through Jesus Christ. And in Jesus Christ, we can begin to have
shalom with others. Jesus is our shalom.
Going Deeper:
1. Murder was not the only sin Cain committed; he had jealously. How do you deal
with your own jealousy of others? What are some ways we can get rid of jealousy?
2. All humans are bearers of God’s image. With this thought, does that change how
you would view or treat someone else?
3. Is there someone in your life where shalom (peace & harmony) has been broken?
How can you bring shalom back to that relationship?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
6 Day 21: Genesis 5
Chapter 5 marks a transition in the Biblical story. Often in the Bible story, transitions are
marked by genealogies (lists of descendants of key people). First, there’s a transition
between main characters because the story moves from Adam and Eve to a man named
Noah and his family. Then there’s the transition to events within the story moving from the
creation/fall to a major judgment of the world through a flood.
One of the points that stands out in this genealogy is the length of time people lived and
the age they became parents. There’s no conclusive answer to explain these apparent
long lives but we can safely assume that it has something to do with the consequences of
sin and the evil that has entered the world. It appears with each additional generation that
people lived shorter lives. We may also safely assume that the impact of sin and evil was
not all at once but instead it slowly worked throughout the world. Over the next few
chapters, we’ll see that both sin and evil began to spread much quicker causing God to
consider judgment on people with a number of serious consequences.
Going Deeper:
1. Think of your family tree. What stories of faith are weaved into your heritage? What
type of legacy do you desire to pass on one day to your kids?
2. Verses 21-24 says Enoch had walked with God 300 years. What do you think it
means to walk with God? Could that be said of you?
3. This chapter shows the power of God for He can control one’s life span. If each day
is truly a gift, what are your plans to do with the gift that has been given to you
today?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
7 Day 22: Genesis 6
A number of things have happened in the world over the decades and generations since
Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden. First, the population of people grew
significantly just as God had envisioned and commissioned Adam and Eve to do – “fill the
earth” (Genesis 1:28). Second, (and most unfortunate) as the population of people grew
and spread out, so did sin and evil. The sin and evil of the people grew so much that our
chapter today says that God was grieved that He had even made people (verse 8). Yet
there was one person who had not fallen under the influence of sin and evil – a man named
Noah. This is a pattern we’ll see throughout the Bible. God keeps at least one person (a
remnant) that stays faithful to Him. God planned to bring judgment to the world for the evil
that had infected it. God literally planned to wash away all the people and with them the
evil and sin they had brought into the world. Yet God choose this one righteous man
named Noah to save the future of the human race (along with 2 of all the animals who
walked the earth). This is another idea that we’ll see flow throughout all of Scripture – one
righteous person saving all of God’s people.
Going Deeper:
1. Righteousness means to be right with God. Noah must have lived differently to
have been chosen as righteous. Does your life reflect one that is living right with
God? If not, what changes can you make today in your lifestyle?
2. God was grieved (sad) about how humans were acting. Do you think we make God
sad every time we sin? Take a moment to confess, He desires to forgive you.
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
8 Day 23: Genesis 7
Well the moment Noah had been working and waiting for had come – water, rain and
floods appeared. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Take a moment and imagine what
your city, town or neighborhood would look like if it rained for 40 straight days. It would be
devastating. And it was devastating for the world in Noah’s day. All the people and all the
animals were swept away except those people and those animals that were inside the ark.
This complete and total devastation is very difficult to imagine. Understand the reason why
God would do this is also difficult to comprehend. However, if we look back at all that had
transpired since the day Adam and Eve broke trust with God, we see the result of sin and
evil entering the world. As sin and evil spread, its devastation must have been even worse
than the flood itself. Thus God determined the devastation of the flood was needed and
necessary. God wanted to wash away the sin and evil that had permeated His creation
and start over. He wanted to bring new life and new start to a broken world.
Going Deeper:
1. God washed away the sins of the world with a flood during the days of Noah. What
can we do in our day to “wash” away our sins?
2. Is there something in your life that needs to be washed away (destroyed) so your
walk with God will be stronger and deeper?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
9 Day 24: Genesis 8
The flood doesn’t last forever but it must have felt like it to Noah and his family. The flood
eventually ends and the earth begins to dry so it was time to leave the ark. Notice the
expectation God had with Noah, his family, and all the living creatures found in verse 17;
“multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.” Sound familiar? It’s
the same command God gave Adam and Eve in Genesis 1. This is part of God’s grand
purpose - to fill the earth with His creatures and His image bearers. Yet, there’s one
significant difference between the people of Genesis 1 and the people of Genesis 8 and it’s
found in verse 21 – “every inclination of his (man’s) heart is evil from childhood.” When God
gave people this command in Genesis 1 they were pure, blameless, and innocent. But
now, even after the flood, people always leaned toward evil; to do the wrong thing and not
the right. The rest of the Bible is the story of how God begins to restore and redeem all
things (including people) to that pure, blameless, and innocent state of Genesis 1 and 2.
Going Deeper:
1. What can you learn from Noah and the ark? Has God ever whispered anything to
you that seemed crazy? Do you build silence into your life so you can hear the
promptings He places on your heart?
2. Verse 17 says multiply on the earth and be fruitful. How can we do what God asks
of us if we are not married? Do you ever pray for God to give you opportunities to
share the good news of Jesus with someone who does not know Him personally?
Notes:
Devotionals for Kids
10 Congratulations!
You have completed 24 days of reading through the Bible!
Know that there have been people praying for you as you have been on this adventure. It is
our hope that you would continue to read the Bible on a regular basis. You won’t regret
continuing to study and learn from God’s word. Here are some added resources for you as
you continue your journey with God:
A customizable app for your phone or tablet
A Bible study written just for teens
Devotionals for Kids
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