“So, David, tell me what you know of the story of creation,” Papa urged.
“Well . . .” David responded. “I know the Bible says that ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,’ but I’m not really sure if I believe that. I mean, how could that be true? You can’t just create something out of nothing. Everyone knows that.”
“That’s an interesting observation,” Papa mused. “So are you telling me you don’t believe the Bible?”
“Oh, no!” David exclaimed. “Of course I believe the Bible. I’m just not sure about that one verse.”
“Well, if that one verse isn’t true, then the rest of the Bible isn’t either,” Papa replied. “That verse is the foundation for everything else that follows. Consider Hebrews 11:3: ‘By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.’ And Colossians 1:16: ‘For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things have been created through Him and for Him.’ Are those verses wrong?”
“Hmmm,” David pondered. “I see what you mean. It takes faith to believe in something that my brain can’t see or even understand. But what about things like time and space and matter? Did they exist before God created the earth?”
“Well, let’s think about that. Remember the first verse you quoted to me? ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth’?”
“Yeah . . . ,” David answered. “What about it?”
“Well, that verse answers your question,” Papa responded. “Think about the words. ‘In the beginning.’ Doesn’t that imply time? If something has a beginning, there must be more that follows. So that’s a passage of time, right?”
“Right. That makes sense.”
“Then it says God created the heavens. Aren’t they spread throughout space?”
“Yes!” David exclaimed. “I think I’m starting to understand. And the earth is made of matter, so that’s the third one I was asking about.”
“Great job, David.” Papa smiled. “And think again to that verse in Hebrews I mentioned earlier. The earth was created when God spoke it into being — and it was made out of things that were not visible. We don’t have to understand how God created the heavens and the earth; we just have to believe that He did.”
David bounced up and down. “You know what, Papa? This makes me think of the story of Jeremiah. Remember? God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before he was born — in fact, even before He formed him in the womb (1:5). And God had already decided Jeremiah would be a prophet. Before the world came into existence, God knew it would exist, just as before Jeremiah existed, God knew he would not only exist but be a prophet. I wonder what purpose God has in mind for me.”
