*I wrote this devotional for the Avenue UMC community and wanted to share it with you here. My devotions will be emailed each morning. If you’d like to subscribe, email churchoffice (at) avenueumc (dot) com and ask to be put on the Devotional Mailing list.

In the beginning, God . . .
Genesis 1:1

A genre of movies that have become popular over the last few years has been origin stories. Two of my favorite origin movies are Batman Begins and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Origin stories provide us with background information on a beloved character. They also help us to see what is unique about the character. Finally, origin stories give us hope.+

The book of Genesis begins with familiar words,

In the beginning, God . . .

The book of Genesis is filled with accounts of creation (two different accounts, in fact), the first humans, a talking serpent, the first murder, a catastrophic flood, and an attempt at the first skyscraper. That is just the first eleven chapters!

Most notably, many prefer to read Genesis as a textbook about how the world was created in six twenty-four-hour days, and another day for God to rest on. But what if it is more than that?

I want to suggest that Genesis is an origin story. Not so much as the origin of humanity (it is) or sin (unfortunately, it is that, too). Genesis is the origin story of God revealing Godself to humanity. The Creation accounts, the fall of Adam and Eve, and the Flood tell us more about God than we do about ourselves. The author of Genesis is concerned about helping its readers to encounter the one-and-only Creator God.

This Sunday, we will begin a new series at Avenue called Origins. We’ll be looking at the first eleven chapters of Genesis, not to relearn the stories as we heard them in Sunday School, but to encounter the Living God through them. Lord willing, these morning devotionals will help fill in the cracks from each week’s sermons. In our journey through the beginning of Genesis, we will encounter God, learn more about who God is, and ultimately we will have a greater hope because we will learn of God who loves us and is making way for us: from the beginning.

+https://www.geekycamel.com/superhero-origin-stories-popular-nowadays/
For the help of why origin stories are so popular. (Accessed 6/29/20).