Does God Exist? Who Created the Universe? | Bible Reading Plan for Seekers |  January 1 

🌱 A Warm Welcome

Welcome to our 365-Day Journey to Discover God!

Today is the first day of our journey through the Bible. Whether you're opening a Bible for the very first time or have heard stories about God and Jesus before, whether you're already curious about Christianity or still have plenty of questions, we're glad you're here.

Perhaps you're searching for meaning in life and wondering where the universe came from. Maybe you've been through difficult experiences that have made you question whether life has a deeper purpose. Or perhaps you're simply curious and want to discover what the Bible actually says.

Whatever brought you here, we're glad to explore these questions with you.

Over the next 365 days, we'll begin with some of life's most basic questions and gradually explore the Bible's story. Does God really exist? Why is the world filled with suffering? Why do people need salvation? Who is Jesus? Why was He crucified? Did He really rise from the dead? And what might any of this mean for our lives today?

You don't have to believe in God before you begin reading the Bible. And you don't need to have all the answers before you start exploring faith.

You're welcome to come with curiosity, doubts, hope, or uncertainty. We're not asking you to make a decision about faith on your very first day. We simply invite you to take a little time each day to read Scripture for yourself, think about what it says, and explore the questions that matter to you.

Today, let's begin with the very first sentence of the Bible.

📖 Bible Background | What Is the Book of Genesis?

Genesis is the first book of the Bible and the beginning of the Bible's larger story. Its name points us toward beginnings, but the book is about more than the origin of the universe. It also introduces the first human beings, explains how sin entered the world, and begins the story of God's plan to redeem humanity.

According to Jewish and Christian tradition, Genesis is associated with Moses and is the first of the five books traditionally known as the Torah or Pentateuch.

In the ancient world, people told many different stories to explain where the world came from. Genesis begins with a strikingly different declaration: the heavens and the earth were not created by many competing gods, but by one God.

Rather than beginning with an argument to prove that God exists, Genesis simply introduces Him as the Creator and begins telling the story of the world from that starting point.

For someone reading the Bible for the first time, this may feel unfamiliar. You don't have to decide immediately whether you agree. For now, we can begin by understanding what the Bible actually teaches about God, the world, and the beginning of human life.

🌿 Where Our Journey Begins | The Bible's First Sentence

Since today is Day 1, there's nothing from an earlier reading to review. In the coming days, we'll gradually explore God's creation, the beginning of human life, and how the Bible describes humanity's place in the world.

But today, let's start with one foundational question:

If the universe had a beginning, where does the Bible say it all began?

🔎 Today's Introduction | Where Did the Universe Come From?

Have you ever looked up at the stars on a clear night?

When we see countless stars stretching across the sky or think about how enormous the universe is, it's natural to wonder: Where did all of this come from? Why is there something rather than nothing? And why are we here?

Science helps us investigate how the universe works, how matter changes, and how life develops. But when we begin asking why anything exists at all, we also enter questions explored by philosophy and faith.

The Bible doesn't begin with a complicated argument. Instead, it opens with a remarkably simple statement:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

These few words establish one of the foundations of the Bible's message: before the heavens and the earth existed, God already was. The universe is not God Himself; according to Scripture, it is His creation.

Today, we'll begin exploring the God whom the Bible introduces as the Creator of everything.

🎯 Today's Reflection Focus | Before Everything Began, God Already Existed

Today's passage contains only five verses, but it introduces three important ideas worth considering.

First, the Bible begins with God, not humanity. Genesis doesn't begin by explaining human needs, religious ceremonies, or moral rules. Instead, it declares that God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. If we want to understand the Bible's message, we first need to understand who it says God is.

Second, the Bible describes the universe as God's creation. The words "created the heavens and the earth" express a central biblical belief: the universe is not itself divine, nor is it the ultimate source of its own existence. Scripture presents God as the source of creation. This invites us to consider a personal question: If our lives come from a Creator, might our existence have a deeper purpose?

Third, God commands light to appear in the darkness. The passage describes the earth as formless and empty, with darkness over the deep. Then God speaks: "Let there be light," and light appears. Here, we encounter the Bible's first picture of God's creative aut

💭 Life Reflection | What If My Existence Isn't Just an Accident?

Our days are often filled with work, school, family responsibilities, and countless things that need our attention. We rarely stop to consider a simple but profound question: Why am I here?

Sometimes, we may feel like tiny individuals in an unimaginably vast universe. The world is enormous, yet our lives are relatively short. What meaning do our efforts, joys, struggles, and hopes ultimately have?

The first sentence of Genesis doesn't immediately answer all these questions. But it offers a different starting point: If the universe was created by God, perhaps our existence is more than a purposeless accident.

Notice that the Bible doesn't ask us to understand every question about the origin of the universe before we continue reading. Instead, it first invites us to learn about the One it calls the Creator.

Today's passage also gives us a memorable picture: darkness covers the deep, and then God says, "Let there be light."

Within the Bible, light becomes an important image in later teachings about life, truth, and hope. For now, we can simply notice how the story begins—with God bringing light into the darkness.

Perhaps you're still uncertain whether God exists. That's okay. You don't need to force yourself to believe something today, and you don't need to find all the answers right away.

Just take a moment to consider this question:

If there really is a God who created the heavens and the earth, how might that change the way I see the world, my life, and myself?

That may be the first step in our 365-day journey.

✍️ Questions & Small Action | Take a Quiet Moment Today

Questions to Think About

1. When you think about the universe, nature, and the existence of life, what question comes to mind first?

2. How do you respond to the words "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth"? Do they make you curious, skeptical, hopeful, or something else? Why?

3. If God really exists, what is the one question you would most like to ask Him?

Today's Small Action

Find a quiet moment today and spend two or three minutes looking at the sky, a tree, or something in nature you might normally overlook.

You don't need to reach a conclusion. Simply ask yourself:

"What does the existence of all this mean to me?"

If you'd like, write down your thoughts. At the end of these 365 days, you can look back and see whether your questions—or your understanding of them—have changed.