“This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it.”   Isaiah 42:5

 “Where did God come from,” asked the small child, looking up into the face of his teacher.  We were exploring the story of Creation in our Wednesday night kids club and this question was asked.  How do you explain to children that God always existed, He had no beginning and has no ending and He created everything in our universe?

Using the illustration of a ring, I asked them if they could see a beginning and end.  No, they couldn’t.  Well, a ring is a poor example, but God had no beginning, He always existed.  He is the eternal God.  There was never a time when God did not exist, He is eternal.  Before the earth was formed or time existed, God was there!  God was not created by anyone, but He created all things.  Everything you see in the universe, from the smallest insect to the farthest galaxy and everything you don’t see, God made.  He even made the spirit world, angels and principalities.  He spoke and with the words of His mouth, the world came into being!  Imagine God forming all the animals in the world.  Scientist estimate there are approximately 8.7 million species on earth, and 1-2 million of those species are animals!  Can you imagine thinking up all the ears, eyes, noses and bodies of so many different animals?  Our human minds can’t understand it.

And then, there is the human body God created.  It has a beginning and is made up of 206 bones, 78 organs and 11 major body systems.  They all work together to keep us walking, talking, working and thinking.  And the amazing thing is, we are all made in God’s image!  He created us to look like Him, we are His children if we know Him as our Savior and Lord.  We have a special relationship with Him to reflect His image to a world that doesn’t know Him, to show love, respect and kindness to the very least of our brothers and sisters.  He also gives us work to do!  “He gives breath to earth’s people, and life to those who walk on it.”  Isaiah 42:5.

 What about “Time?”  How do you explain to a child that God exists outside of time when we humans are so bound by time constraints?  He always was, He is the everlasting God!  “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day,” 2 Peter 3:8.  We measure time by the ticking of a clock, the movement of the planets, or the sun moving across the sky, all created things.  Like Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3, “there’s a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:  a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot….a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…..” and the list goes on.  Because God existed forever, without beginning or end, He can give us eternal life!

Only the Lord Almighty, the Holy One of Israel, our Redeemer, the God of all the Earth could create such a universe!

Your friend, Jean