2026 Pentecost Devotions I
Monday, May 25
Genesis 1:1-19
1 When God began to create the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
“… Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. …”
The first of God’s acts in Creation is light. Amidst the chaos of the universe, God’s initial work is light – separating the darkness.
In our modern, twenty-first century world, we often don’t think much about light. After all, all we have to do is flip a switch and light appears. For most of us, walking out in the evening, darkness isn’t a problem. Whether it’s streetlights, house lights, city lights, or ambient light, the darkness is constantly pushed back. For most of us, true darkness is unknown.
When I was in Liberia last year, and we were out in the brush, there were no streetlights, city lights, or ambient light. The only light we had were the stars in the sky, a handheld flashlight, or a portable solar light. Needless to say, when all that faded, the darkness was palpable.
God established light as the first of creation to remind us of God’s love for us. The light reminds us that we need not be afraid. The light allows us to see the world, its people, and those around us. The light enables us to live our lives, not in darkness and chaos, but in light and life.
When we have light, we are able to see – to see what God is up to. That is why God began Creation with light.
Prayer: Creator God, You have made all that is – even the light we take for granted. Thank You for that gift, and for enabling me to see You and all that You have made. Amen.