Genesis 1:1 — Why Do Beginnings Matter?

Benjamin Michael Mcgreevy
Jan 17
3 min read

Every verse in Scripture matters, but Genesis 1:1 is not merely the first verse in the Bible. It is the foundation upon which every other verse rests. If we misunderstand the beginning, we will misunderstand everything that follows. The question before us is not only what happened in the beginning, but why beginnings matter at all.

Genesis 1:1 confronts us immediately with a truth that modern readers often overlook. Life does not start with us. It starts with God.

Beginnings Reveal Authority

The Bible does not begin with an argument. It begins with a declaration. “In the beginning, God created.” Scripture assumes God’s existence before it explains anything else. This tells us something crucial about beginnings. They establish authority.

Whoever defines the beginning defines the meaning of what follows. By opening Scripture this way, God is claiming rightful authority over time, reality, and existence itself.

This is why Genesis 1:1 matters so deeply for the Christian life. If God is not the author of the beginning, then He cannot be the authority of the present. But if He is the Creator at the start, then every moment that follows belongs to Him as well.

Beginnings Shape Direction

Spiritually, beginnings are never neutral. How something starts determines how it develops. Genesis does not begin with humanity discovering God. It begins with God acting before humanity exists.

This reshapes how we approach our faith. We do not seek God to give meaning to our lives. God gives meaning first and then invites us into it.

Genesis 1:1 reminds us that we enter a story already in progress. It is a story authored by God Himself. This is why Scripture is not primarily about self improvement, but about alignment. We are learning to live within God’s design, not create our own.

Beginnings Teach Dependence

The Hebrew word for “created” is bara, and it is used exclusively of God in the Old Testament. Humanity never creates in this way. This means creation is not cooperation. It is divine initiative.

From the very first verse, Scripture teaches us dependence. The world exists because God willed it. Order exists because God spoke it. Meaning exists because God established it.

For the believer, this has devotional weight. When we struggle with control, anxiety, or uncertainty, Genesis 1:1 gently calls us back to trust. The God who began all things is not overwhelmed by what comes next.

Beginnings Anchor Our Reading of the Bible

Genesis 1:1 sets the tone for how Scripture should be read. Slowly, reverently, and attentively. If we rush past the beginning, we will rush past God’s intentions.

This verse teaches us that Scripture is not fragmented. It is unified. Theology begins with God, not humanity. Devotion flows from doctrine, not apart from it.

Reading the Bible verse by verse is not an academic exercise. It is an act of humility. We submit ourselves to the order God established from the start.

A Devotional Invitation

Genesis 1:1 asks us a quiet but penetrating question. Who defines the beginning of your life?

If God is truly the Creator, then He is not only Lord of the universe. He is Lord of your time, your habits, your priorities, and your future. Every spiritual renewal begins the same way Scripture does. With God at the center.

Perhaps the most practical response to Genesis 1:1 is this. Begin again, but begin with God.

Why This Verse Deserves Slow Reading

Genesis 1:1 is not a verse to rush past on the way to more interesting passages. It is the soil from which the rest of Scripture grows. When read devotionally, it teaches us how to approach the Bible itself. Attentively, reverently, and patiently.

This is why verse by verse devotional commentary matters. Every verse carries weight because every verse participates in God’s revealed story.

Continue Reading Genesis Verse by Verse

This verse is explored in full depth in Verse by Verse A Daily Devotional Through the Whole Bible Genesis 1 through 11, where each verse receives sustained devotional and theological reflection.

If you want to learn how to read Scripture slowly, faithfully, and fruitfully, beginning exactly where God begins, this journey starts here.