Christian Foundations 1 - Identityনমুনা

WONDERFULLY DESIGNED

You might sometimes feel that God has drawn the short straw with you. That when He adopted you into His family, He had to take what He was given, which wasn’t much. So now God just has to do the best He can with a very ordinary person. But this is not true. God was involved in your life a long time before you became a Christian. He designed you uniquely and specially for the plans He has for you.

Despite his failures, King David was not only a man of God and excellent leader, he was also a brilliant musician and poet. In Psalm 139, David is musing on God’s involvement in every part of his life. David has found that God is always there in and around him, working out His purposes through David's life. In this section of the song, David reflects on his own early formation by God.

Read: Psalm 139:13-16

Journal

1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant?

2. What do I want to discuss/explore further?

3. What do I need to do?

4. Are you happy with the way God has made you? Why or why not?

Reflect

My wife and I are currently designing a granny flat that we will probably live in for a long time. As you can imagine, we’re rather particular about the design. This could be our home for 20+ years, and it needs to be suitable for us at this stage of life. We’re interested in fans, lights, taps, showers, air conditioning, power points, storage, and soundproofing. The list goes on. It’s worthwhile planning carefully now, so we won’t be disappointed later.

If we are so fastidious about our future granny flat, you can imagine how carefully God has designed you. He has always had a purpose for you and has created you for this purpose. Your personality, your intellectual ability, your passions, your physical appearance and body type, your capacity, your gifts, etc. were all designed by God according to His plan. There was no guesswork in it because God had already laid out His plan for you (139:16). As David writes, you have been “wonderfully made” (139:14). Of course, you need to grow and develop and use your gifts, but the basic building blocks of God’s plans for you have already been put into you.

For example, I am an introvert, which means that I mostly renew my energy by being alone. As a pastor, I sometimes wondered about God’s particular design of me when my ministry involved so many interactions with people. However, after 23 years as a pastor, my 17 years as a Theological College (Seminary) Principal involved a lot of study, writing, thinking, and preparing, and my introversion was a great gift. God knows what He’s doing. You have been wonderfully designed for what God has purposed for you.

Pray

I thank you that my beginnings were covered by Your presence. That You knit me together Lord and made me the way I am. Sometimes I wish I was different – more capable, more noticeable, more insightful, more beautiful, more intelligent, more gifted, more courageous, more spiritual, more influential. I'm sorry for my lack of trust in Your handiwork. You have made me the way I am for Your purposes, and You make no design flaws, so I thank You for the way You have created me. May I appreciate and enjoy Your special design of me.

Respond

List a few of your most obvious characteristics and see if you can discern how God is using or could use these skills, abilities, and aptitudes in His work through you. Don’t worry if you can’t identify anything yet, you have plenty of time to consider this further.

Written by John Sweetman