Genesis 1:20-23 Bible Study: Celebrating Life's Diversity with Slow, Thoughtful Engagement
STEP Program Application to Genesis 1:20-23
Genesis 1:20-23 (NIV): "And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.' So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.' And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day."
Bible Study
Approach:
No Rush: Take your time to explore the richness of life introduced in the seas and skies.
Small Segments:
Example: These verses describe the creation of sea creatures and birds.
Method: Break it down:
Verse 20: The command to fill the waters and skies with life.
Verse 21: The creation of sea creatures and birds.
Verses 22-23: The blessing for fruitfulness and the end of the fifth day.
Slow Reading:
Technique: Read these verses slowly, savoring the celebration of diversity and life in God's creation.
Mental Imagery: Picture the waters alive with fish and sea creatures, the sky filled with birds, each kind distinct and vibrant.
Meditation
Focused Meditation:
Verse Repetition: Choose "Be fruitful and increase in number." Meditate on the concept of abundance, growth, and the blessing of life.
Process: In your quiet space, repeat this blessing, considering how God’s abundance applies to your life and spiritual growth.
Scene Visualization:
Imagination: Visualize the moment when the waters began to teem with life, and the air with birds, a symphony of creation.
Application: Reflect on how you can embody the principle of fruitfulness in your life. How can you contribute to the abundance and diversity of God's creation?
Prayer
Application to Life:
Lesson Activation: Pray for the ability to see and appreciate the diversity of life and to live in a way that contributes to that diversity.
Confession and Request:
Struggles: If you struggle with appreciating life's abundance or with your own growth, confess this, asking for a heart of gratitude and growth.
Past Mistakes: Reflect on times you've not nurtured life around you or within you, seeking forgiveness and a new commitment to fruitfulness.
Future Guidance: Seek guidance to live in a way that reflects God's command to be fruitful, to care for creation, and to grow spiritually.
Bold Requests:
Testing Faith: Pray for opportunities to show stewardship over the environment and to be a source of blessing and growth in your community, mirroring the creative abundance of this day.
Through the STEP method, Genesis 1:20-23 invites us into a celebration of life's diversity, encouraging us to reflect on our role in God's plan for abundance and growth.
