Genesis 1 Is the First Call to Worship

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

Those familiar words may sound simple, almost ordinary. Yet in reality, they form the very first call to worship. They remind us not just of how the world began but of who God is and why He is worthy of our praise. Before the stories of Abraham, Moses, David, or Paul, before the Gospel accounts of Christ, Scripture begins by directing our eyes upward in awe.

God Revealed in the Beginning

Genesis 1:1 is more than a historical record it is a theological and liturgical foundation. From this single verse, we see at least twelve truths about God:

1. God is one — There is no other (Deuteronomy 6:4).

2. God is spirit — not bound by space, time, or matter (John 4:24).

3. God is eternal — without beginning or end (Psalm 90:2).

4. God is infinite — beyond all created realms (Psalm 145:3).

5. God is unchangeable — the same yesterday, today, and forever (James 1:17).

6. God is self-existent — dependent on nothing and no one (Exodus 3:14).

7. God is life — the fountain of all living things (John 5:26).

8. God is immortal — death cannot touch Him (1 Timothy 6:16).

9. God is Creator — all else is made by Him (Psalm 96:5).

10. God is omnipotent — able to do all He wills (Ephesians 3:20).

11. God is omniscient — full of wisdom and understanding (Jeremiah 10:12).

12. God is sovereign — His purposes cannot be thwarted (Job 42:2).

From the very first verse, the Bible confronts us with the majesty of God and invites us to bow in worship.

Creation Through the Word and Spirit

The opening lines of Genesis also reveal how God works. Not only does He create, but He does so by His Spirit and Word. Genesis 1:2–3 shows the Spirit hovering over the waters and God speaking creation into being. This pattern stretches forward into the New Testament.

John writes, “In the beginning was the Word… all things were made through him” (John 1:1–3). Paul adds that “all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Christ, the eternal Word, is the active agent of creation, and the Spirit is the life-giving presence who brings order and fullness.

That means Genesis 1 is not only a call to worship the Creator, but a call to worship the Triune God Father, Son, and Spirit who together brought the universe into existence.

Worship as Our First Response

In heaven, the living creatures cry out, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things” (Revelation 4:11). If worship is the natural response of heaven to God’s creative work, how much more should it be ours on earth?

The opening chapter of the Bible sets the tone for all of life: worship begins with recognizing God as Creator and Sustainer. Even the most ordinary parts of life meals, work, rest flow from His hand and are opportunities to glorify Him.

From Beginning to End

Genesis 1:1 is not just an introduction; it is an invitation. From the very start, Scripture directs us to marvel at God’s majesty, rejoice in His power, and depend on His Spirit. Our worship today echoes what has been true from the beginning:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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