“If God is there, why doesn’t he show himself?” God does show himself to the world in two very different but complementary ways.

In Genesis 1:1-2 we read about God’s formless, empty, lifeless, black, and watery creation and how the Spirit of God loved, sustained, and upheld it. Right now you may feel confused. Empty. Lifeless. Dark. Chaotic. Whoever you are, and whatever the depths and agony of your trials, God is hovering over you: he loves you, he is near to you, and he can rescue you.

As humans we quickly forget that we are dust. That we are not invincible. That we are the created and not the Creator. How can we develop a right view of God and ourselves?

On the one hand, we sense that we are important and significant. Life means something. We have purpose—a high purpose. We were destined for great things. On the other hand, we tell ourselves, incessantly, that we are meaningless and insignificant. Here are 3 reasons from Genesis 1:24-26 why you are very important.

So many of us are unhappy because we don’t know why we exist. God pours out love-gifts of sun and breath, food and family, and we don’t see him. We are dying, and we don’t want our lives to end. We don’t know where we are going, nor how to get there. Yet, even in the most vicious trials of this life, we can find joy.

The providence of God reveals his infinite wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. Nothing can thwart his plan. Here is a prayer to help you meditate upon God’s providence.

God made the earth by his power, established the world by his wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by his understanding (Jer. 10:12). Here is a prayer to help you meditate upon God’s creation.

Have you ever visited a pristine part of God’s creation where it seemed like you were almost in another world entirely? I had that experience fly fishing on the Madison River—and it left me breathless.

Here is a prayer to help you meditate upon the covenant God made with man in Genesis 2, to share himself with a holy people—and only a holy people.