In the Beginning
God makes a good world, we break it, and he keeps a family line of promise alive.
This week
Welcome to day one of a three-year walk through the whole Bible in the order events happened. Five readings a week, about 40 verses a day, with the weekends free to catch up and rest.
This week starts where everything starts. Genesis 1 shows a God who needs nothing and makes everything, and who calls his work good. Genesis 2 slows down to show how personally he made the first man and woman. Then Genesis 3 tells the oldest story there is: we doubted God's goodness, went our own way, and everything broke. But in the same chapter God promises that a son of the woman will one day crush the serpent.
The rest of the week follows the fallout. Cain kills Abel. Generations live and die. Violence fills the earth. Yet through it all God keeps a line of faith alive, from Seth to Enoch to Noah, and he does not let judgment be the last word.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1 (ESV)This week: Memorize Genesis 1:1. Each day, write down one thing the reading shows you about who God is.
Podcast
Week 1: In the Beginning
A short conversation on each day’s reading. Listen on your commute, then read the passage.
Monday · Genesis 1Download (MP3)
Tuesday · Genesis 2–3Download (MP3)
Wednesday · Genesis 4Download (MP3)
Thursday · Genesis 5Download (MP3)
Friday · Genesis 6–7Download (MP3)
Daily readings
Today’s reading opens automatically. Check it off when you finish.
Day 1 · Monday, Nov 9God Speaks, and It Is GoodGenesis 1✓ READ
In six days God forms and fills the world by his word: light, sky, sea, land, plants, lights in the sky, creatures, and finally people made in his own image. Seven times he looks at what he made and calls it good.
The rhythm of "And God said … and it was so." Notice who is in charge and how effortless creation is for him.
- What does it mean to you that every person you meet today is made in God's image?
- Where do you need to trust that God is still bringing order out of chaos?
Day 2 · Tuesday, Nov 10The Garden and the FallGenesis 2–3✓ READ
God forms the man from dust, breathes life into him, plants a garden, and makes the woman as a partner. Then the serpent questions God's word and God's goodness. They eat, they hide, and sin breaks their peace with God, each other and the ground. Even so, God clothes them and promises a coming offspring who will crush the serpent's head (3:15).
The serpent's first move is a question: "Did God actually say…?" Watch how doubt comes before disobedience.
- Where are you most tempted to doubt that God's commands are good for you?
- Genesis 3:9 has God asking, "Where are you?" How would you answer him today?
Day 3 · Wednesday, Nov 11Cain and AbelGenesis 4✓ READ
Sin moves from the garden into the family. Cain resents God's favor toward his brother Abel and murders him. God warns Cain beforehand, confronts him afterward, and still puts a mark of protection on him. The chapter ends with a quiet hopeful line: people began to call on the name of the LORD.
God's warning in 4:7: sin is "crouching at the door" and "you must rule over it."
- Is there resentment or comparison "crouching at the door" of your heart right now?
- What does God's mark of protection on Cain tell you about his mercy?
Day 4 · Thursday, Nov 12Generations of GraceGenesis 5✓ READ
A genealogy from Adam to Noah, with a refrain that lands like a drumbeat: "and he died." Death is now the human story. But Enoch breaks the pattern: he "walked with God," and God took him. And Lamech names his son Noah, hoping he will bring relief from the curse.
The one name in the list that does not end with "and he died."
- What would it look like for you to "walk with God" this week, like Enoch did?
- Whose faithfulness in past generations has shaped your faith?
Day 5 · Friday, Nov 13The FloodGenesis 6–7✓ READ
Human evil spreads until the earth is filled with violence, and God is grieved to his heart. He resolves to judge the world, but Noah finds favor in his eyes. God gives Noah careful instructions, Noah does all that God commands, and the family and the animals are kept safe in the ark while the waters rise.
"Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD" (6:8) and "Noah did all that God commanded him" (6:22). Grace comes first, then obedience.
- Noah obeyed for years before a single raindrop fell. Where is God asking you to obey before you see the reason?
- How does it change your view of judgment to read that God was grieved, not eager?
Weekend: catch up on any day you missed, then look back over the week’s reflection questions with your family or small group.
Discussion
For families and small groups.
- Genesis 1 says God made people in his image. How should that shape the way we talk about people we disagree with?
- Why do you think the serpent started with a question instead of a command?
- Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Where do you see the blame game in our culture, or in yourself?
- God promised a rescuer in Genesis 3:15 before he announced any consequences. What does that tell us about his heart?
- Enoch "walked with God." What habits help you walk with God in an ordinary week?
- What do Cain's story and the flood teach us about how quickly sin spreads when it is left unchecked?
- Where did you see God's grace in this week's readings, even in the hard chapters?
Reflection
Journal prompts for the week.
- What did this week show me about who God is?
- Where am I hiding from God, the way Adam and Eve hid in the garden?
- What "crouching at the door" sin do I need to bring into the light?
- Who in my life needs to hear that God makes a way back?
Flashcards & quiz
Tap a card to see the answer. Then try the quiz.
Quiz
Prayer
Focus: Thank God that he made a good world and never gave up on it, even after we broke it.
Creator God, everything we see began with you, and you called it good. We confess that we have doubted your goodness and gone our own way. Thank you that you came looking for us, covered our shame, and promised a Savior. Help us walk with you this week like Enoch, and trust you like Noah. In Jesus' name, amen.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Read each day’s passage on esv.org. Reading plan: our own chronological order, 780 weekday readings over three years (Nov 9, 2026 – Nov 2, 2029).