“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
Genesis 1 is beautiful poetry. The final summation of God’s recurring “it was good,” comes in verse 31, “it was very good.” We heard last week (9/5/21 service) how the goodness of creation demonstrates the goodness of God.
This Sunday (9/12/21 service) we will focus on the beauty and intentionality of God’s original design. As the image above shows, God formed the world on days one through three, then He filled the world on days four through six, in perfect symmetry.
The same truth applies to every Christian! God formed you according to His sovereign wisdom, and God filled you with His own Spirit!
“Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him… according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight” Ephesians 1:4,8
God makes no mistakes. He did not mess up in your case. You are a custom made reflection of God’s glory (Eph. 2:10). God crafted every cell of your body in your mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13-14). The Creator of all things designed you specifically for the plans He has for you. This includes:
- Your biological gender
- Your height and body type
- Your birthplace and family of origin
- Your childhood experiences
- Your education and professional development
- Your marital status
- The timing and number of your children (if any)
- The exact number of breaths you will take, the minutes and seconds of your life
- The moment of your conversion
- The people your life will touch
- Your health and health challenges
- And infinite other details
Are you overall receptive and grateful or resentful and resistant?
You only have two options when it comes to your design – 1) receive it all as a gift of God’s sovereign wisdom and grace or; 2) resent some or all of it, believing you could have planned your life better than God.
Many people let resentment over some pain or loss lead them to resist and rebel against God’s design. An obvious example of this is the modern LGBTQ+ movement. Even the ominous “plus” in this long name shows that there are future deviations we know are coming and will be added to the list as they come. In the name of personal freedom people celebrate the “right” to love whomever you want.
Having shoved that candy coated lie down our throats, this revolution has now taken the ridiculous step to encourage people, even young children, to change their gender. And don’t you dare call it “gender assignment surgery” anymore – it’s now known as “gender alignment surgery.” The “born that way” lie has been repeated so often it is now being absurdly applied to boys claiming to have been truly born as girls and vice versa.
Christians need to pay close attention to these issues, not to be harsh and judgmental toward those who struggle with same gender attraction or gender dysphoria but to defend our increasingly threatened religious liberties. In the name of “non-discrimination” the revolution is seeking to pass bills like the Equality Act that aim to cripple if not destroy Christian education and eventually churches that stand for Biblical truth.
The radical left is presenting these issues as a “new civil rights movement” and seeking to silence and vilify any who speak against them. Albert Mohler and other evangelical leaders are speaking out on this with growing urgency – and we need to pay attention. For one example, check out yesterday’s daily briefing: https://albertmohler.com/2021/09/09/briefing-9-9-21
That is a cultural insight into how far things have gone in America. The application for us this week is more personal and practical. As you reflect on the way God made you, and the experiences He has used to shape you, are you overall receptive and grateful or resentful and resistant? Often we do the very things we judge in others without knowing it. We can see the resentment and rebellion in our world, but can we see it in our own hearts?
Let’s rejoice in the wonder and wisdom of our divine design! Let’s give thanks for the way God made us and the opportunities He has given us. And let’s commit – as far as we can control things – to live by the Owner’s Manual, because we know our Creator gave it to us for our good!