Life Group H.E.A.R. Journal: Genesis 2

27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

- Genesis 1:27-28

An easy, memorable way to learn how to read and process the Bible is through the H.E.A.R. journaling method. This process helps us read God’s Word with the goal of understanding it and applying it to our lives. The letters stand for Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond. 

  • Highlight a scripture: Pick one verse (or pick a set of connected or related verses) from Ephesians 1. Highlight this verse or write down the Book, chapter, and verse number.

  • Explain the context: By asking some simple questions with the help of God’s Spirit, we can understand the meaning of a passage or verse. The following questions can help us understand the context of a passage: What’s happening in the story? Why was this written, and to whom? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? What does God intend to communicate through this text? 

  • Apply it to your life: Application is the heart of the process! Answering a series of questions can help us uncover the meaning of these verses to us on a personal level. What is God saying to me? How can this help me? What does this mean today? How would applying this look in my life?

  • Respond with action: This is the last part of the H.E.A.R. Journal. Your response to the passage may take on many forms. You may write a call to action. You can describe how you’ll be different because of what God said to you through His Word. You may indicate what you’re going to do because of what you have learned. You can even respond by writing out a prayer to God.

This week, we’ll read the Main Text from Pastor Roland’s sermon last week: Genesis 2:15-25. We’ll write our responses and share them with our group. (If you already journal some other way, feel free to do that.) Pay special to the Apply and Respond steps; that’s where God’s Word comes to life! If you get stuck, try using these questions to help you think about how this passage relates to Pastor Roland’s sermon. Answering these questions might be helpful, but it’s optional.

  • Do these scriptures remind you of part of last Sunday’s sermon? 

  • What does this passage teach about marriage?

  • What does this passage teach about being single, preparing for a relationship, or being in a relationship?

Let’s encourage each other in God’s Word!