Genesis Highlights

Two weeks through the beginnings, where God's grace starts the story.

Walk through the foundational stories of Genesis as a family, from the first words of creation to Joseph forgiving his brothers in Egypt. Along the way you'll see how sin entered the world and how God, from the very beginning, was already promising a Rescuer. Each day is built to spark warm conversation around your table about God's faithfulness, our need for grace, and the hope of the gospel.

1. Day 1

   Creation

   Genesis 1:1-31

   Before there was anything at all, there was God, and He simply spoke and the whole world came to be. Light, sky, oceans, plants, animals, and finally people were made by His powerful, loving word. At the end of each day God looked at what He had made and called it good, and when He made people in His own image, it was very good. The same God who carefully made the stars and the smallest seed also made your family on purpose, and He still loves what He made.

   Talk about it

   • What is your favorite thing God made, and what does it show you about Him?
   • Why do you think God called His creation 'good' and people 'very good'?
   • How does knowing God made you on purpose change the way you see yourself today?

   Memory verse · Genesis 1:1

   “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

2. Day 2

   Adam and Eve

   Genesis 2:4-25

   God didn't just make people from far away; He formed the man from the dust and breathed life right into him. He planted a beautiful garden, gave good work to do, and even said it was not good for the man to be alone, so He made Eve as a gift and partner. From the very first family, we see that God cares about our homes, our friendships, and our need for one another. He is a God who gives good things and stays close to the people He loves.

   Talk about it

   • What does it tell us about God that He made people to live together instead of alone?
   • What are some good gifts God has given to your family?
   • How can we take care of the things and people God has placed in our lives?

   Memory verse · Genesis 2:7

   “Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

3. Day 3

   The Fall

   Genesis 3:1-24

   Everything was good until the serpent whispered a lie, and Adam and Eve chose to disobey the one rule God had given them. Their sin brought sadness, hiding, and separation from God into a world that had been perfect, and we still feel the effects of that broken choice today. But even in this sad moment, God made a wonderful promise: one day a Rescuer would come from the family of people to crush the work of the serpent. From the very beginning, God's plan was already pointing forward to Jesus, who would make things right.

   Talk about it

   • Why do you think the lie sounded so tempting to Adam and Eve?
   • What are some ways we still try to hide instead of telling God the truth?
   • How is it good news that God promised a Rescuer right after things went wrong?

   Memory verse · Genesis 3:15

   “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.””

4. Day 4

   Cain and Abel

   Genesis 4:1-16

   Two brothers brought gifts to God, but Cain grew angry and jealous when his offering wasn't accepted the way Abel's was. God gently warned Cain that sin was crouching at the door, wanting to rule over him, and that he could choose to do what is right. Sadly, Cain let his anger win, and his story shows us how quickly a heart problem can grow into something far worse. The good news is that we don't have to fight our anger alone, because God offers to help us and forgive us when we turn to Him.

   Talk about it

   • What do you think God meant when He said sin was 'crouching at the door'?
   • What are some better ways to handle big feelings like anger or jealousy?
   • How can our family help each other turn to God when our hearts feel out of control?

   Memory verse · Genesis 4:7

   “If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.””

5. Day 5

   Noah and the Flood

   Genesis 6:9-22; Genesis 7:1-5

   When the world had become full of wrong, God found one man, Noah, who walked closely with Him. God told Noah to build a huge ark to keep his family and the animals safe, and even though it must have seemed strange, Noah trusted God and did everything just as he was told. Noah's obedience reminds us that following God sometimes looks different from what everyone else is doing. And the ark is a beautiful picture of how God provides a way of safety for those who trust Him.

   Talk about it

   • What do you think it was like for Noah to obey God when others did not?
   • What does it mean to 'walk with God' like Noah did?
   • When is it hard for you to follow God, and how can your family encourage each other?

   Memory verse · Genesis 6:22

   “Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.”

6. Day 6

   The Rainbow Promise

   Genesis 8:13-22; Genesis 9:8-17

   When Noah and his family finally stepped onto dry ground, the first thing they did was worship the God who had kept them safe. God made a promise, a covenant, never again to destroy the earth with a flood, and He set a rainbow in the sky as a reminder of His faithful word. God always keeps His promises, even the ones that span many years and many generations. The next time you see a rainbow, you can remember that the God who spoke to Noah is the same God who watches over your family.

   Talk about it

   • What does a rainbow remind us about who God is?
   • Why is it special that God chose to make a promise He would always keep?
   • What is a promise you can trust God to keep in your own life?

   Memory verse · Genesis 9:13

   “I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.”

7. Day 7

   Tower of Babel

   Genesis 11:1-9

   The people of the world decided to build a great tower to make a name for themselves and reach the heavens on their own. Their plan wasn't really about the bricks; it was about pride, wanting glory for themselves instead of for God. So God lovingly stepped in, mixing up their language so they couldn't continue, and spread them across the earth. This story reminds us that true greatness isn't found in lifting ourselves up, but in humbly trusting the God who is already above all things.

   Talk about it

   • Why do you think the people wanted to make a name for themselves?
   • What is the difference between doing big things for God and doing them for our own glory?
   • How can our family stay humble and give God the credit for good things?

   Memory verse · Genesis 11:4

   “They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.””

8. Day 8

   God's Call to Abraham

   Genesis 12:1-9

   God called Abraham to leave his home and travel to a land he had never seen, with a promise that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed. Abraham didn't know all the details, but he trusted God and went, packing up his whole life on the strength of God's word. That promise of blessing for every family was God pointing ahead to Jesus, who would one day come from Abraham's family to bless the whole world. When God calls us to follow, we can trust that His plans are bigger and better than anything we can see right now.

   Talk about it

   • What would have been hard about leaving home like Abraham did?
   • How does it feel to follow God even when you don't know what comes next?
   • What is one way your family can trust God's plan this week, even without all the answers?

   Memory verse · Genesis 12:2

   “I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.”

9. Day 9

   Abraham and Isaac

   Genesis 22:1-19

   God asked Abraham to give up his beloved son Isaac, and though it was the hardest thing imaginable, Abraham trusted that God was good and would provide. At the very last moment God stopped him and pointed to a ram caught nearby, showing that He had a substitute ready all along. This tender story whispers of a greater rescue, for God would one day give His own beloved Son, Jesus, as the substitute for us. Because of Jesus, we can trust that God always provides exactly what we need most.

   Talk about it

   • What do you think helped Abraham trust God in such a hard moment?
   • How does the ram God provided remind us of Jesus?
   • When has God provided for your family in a way you didn't expect?

   Memory verse · Genesis 22:8

   “Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.”

10. Day 10

    Isaac and Rebekah

    Genesis 24:1-27; Genesis 24:61-67

    Abraham's servant set out to find a wife for Isaac, and instead of trusting his own cleverness, he stopped and prayed for God to guide him. God answered in a quiet, kind way through Rebekah's willingness to serve, and the servant bowed his head to worship and give thanks. This story shows us that God cares about the everyday details of our lives, even the people we will love and the families we will build. When we bring our decisions to God in prayer, we can trust Him to lead us with kindness.

    Talk about it

    • Why do you think the servant prayed before doing anything else?
    • What does this story show us about how much God cares about everyday choices?
    • What is a decision your family could pray about together this week?

    Memory verse · Genesis 24:27

    “He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.””

11. Day 11

    Jacob's Ladder

    Genesis 28:10-22

    Jacob was running away from home with a lot of trouble behind him when he lay down to sleep with only a stone for a pillow. In a dream he saw a stairway reaching to heaven, and God Himself promised to be with Jacob and never leave him. Even though Jacob had made mistakes, God came to him with grace and reminded him he was not alone. Wherever we go, even in our hardest and loneliest moments, God's promise to be with His people still holds true.

    Talk about it

    • How do you think Jacob felt waking up after meeting God in his dream?
    • Why is it good news that God came to Jacob even after his mistakes?
    • When do you most need to remember that God is with you?

    Memory verse · Genesis 28:15

    “Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.””

12. Day 12

    Joseph's Dreams

    Genesis 37:1-11; Genesis 37:23-28

    Joseph was loved by his father and given special dreams from God, but his brothers grew jealous and let their anger lead them to do something cruel. They sold Joseph away, never imagining that God would weave even this painful moment into a much bigger plan. Sometimes the people we love hurt us, and life feels confusing and unfair, just as it did for Joseph. Yet even when we can't see it, God is still at work, and He never loses sight of His children.

    Talk about it

    • How do you think Joseph felt when his own brothers turned against him?
    • What can we do with jealous feelings before they grow too big?
    • How does it help to know God is at work even when things seem unfair?

    Memory verse · Genesis 37:11

    “His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.”

13. Day 13

    Joseph in Egypt

    Genesis 41:37-57

    After many hard years, God gave Joseph wisdom to understand the king's dreams and to prepare Egypt for a coming famine. Pharaoh saw that God's Spirit was with Joseph and put him in charge of the whole land, and Joseph used his position to save countless lives. The same God who was with Joseph in prison was with him in the palace, never once forgetting him. God's timing is not always our timing, but His faithfulness never runs out, and He can bring good even from long seasons of waiting.

    Talk about it

    • What helped Joseph stay faithful through so many years of waiting?
    • How did God use Joseph to help and save other people?
    • What is something hard you are waiting on right now that you can bring to God?

    Memory verse · Genesis 41:39

    “Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.”

14. Day 14

    Joseph Forgives His Brothers

    Genesis 45:1-15; Genesis 50:15-21

    When Joseph finally stood face to face with the brothers who had hurt him, he wept and forgave them instead of seeking revenge. He told them what his brothers meant for harm, God meant for good, to save many lives. Joseph could forgive because he trusted that God had been guiding the whole story all along. His grace toward his brothers points us to Jesus, who forgives us completely and turns even our worst moments into part of God's good plan.

    Talk about it

    • How was Joseph able to forgive his brothers after everything they did?
    • What does Joseph's story teach us about how God can bring good out of bad things?
    • Who is someone you could show forgiveness to, the way Joseph did?

    Memory verse · Genesis 50:20

    “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is today, to save many people alive.”

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (public domain). Devotions and reflection questions © Genesis Labs.