Genesis 1:26-31

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

27 So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

29 Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. 30 And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

Believe it or not, the story of Christmas starts at the very beginning of the world - long, long before Jesus came.

It starts with God creating a perfect world. The climax of His work was the creation of people. He had already created the earth and the vast universe, the plants and animals and everything that exists. All that was lacking was human beings.

Of all creation, only human beings were made "in the image of God". In some way, we reflect God Himself and we are different from every other aspect of creation. We are the apple of God's eye. Every human being has immense worth because everyone is created by God and in His image.

You are unique and, in God's eyes, you are hugely valuable. He loves you passionately.

We also have significance because God designed us to have responsibilities. We are created to work alongside God, looking after His creation. He entrusted us with this important role.

God looked at all that He had made and saw that it was very good. God's standards are very high. When God declares something very good, it really is very, very good. God's world was perfect. It was a world of great beauty and plenty, a world of harmony, peace and goodness. There was nothing that disappointed God and the people knew complete welfare - including a wonderfully close relationship with God Himself.

For Reflection

1. List some things you see around you that speak to you of the wonder and majesty of God's creation. (They might not be objects. They might be things like compassion.)

2. Are you able to say, "I am immensely valuable. He loves me passionately"?

3. Why do you think we have said this is the beginning of the Christmas story?

Go somewhere that you really love. Look around and notice some of the amazing things God has made. Thank Him for them.

Loving Father, we thank You that You created a perfect world for us to live in and to enjoy. We thank you that there are so many good things in this world. We thank You that You know every person on earth and You love each of us. You have done so much for us. We thank You.

In Jesus name, Amen.