Precious In His Sight
Look at those swirls, ridges and twirls patterned across your fingertips. Aside from the fact that it would be difficult to pick up dimes without the traction created by our fingerprints, each set marks us as unique individuals.
But if recent surveys are true, many people don’t believe they are unique. They see themselves as little more than misplaced commas in the Novel of Life. Their existence adds nothing to the story line. Why else would more than 30 thousand people in the United States alone commit suicide each year -- one person every 20 minutes? Why do another 400 thousand make unsuccessful attempts? Each year one million families are torn apart by divorce.
Perhaps this wide-spread sense of poor self-esteem is best illustrated in one of Gary Larson’s Far Side cartoons. Larson draws a group of insects gathered at a party and one beetle laments to another, “Think about it, Ed. The class Insecta contains 26 orders, almost 1,000 families, and over 750,000 described species. But I can’t shake the feeling we’re all just a bunch of bugs.”
I wonder if Larson hits a raw nerve for some people. The species Homo Sapiens (human beings) contains six billion members who belong to hundreds of cultures and ethnic groups. We laugh, we love, we cry, we create. Yet, judging from the numbers of shattered lives and broken homes among us -- too many of us think of ourselves as insignificant creatures without purpose.
But are we really little more than a bunch of bugs? Does anyone care we exist?
Do we have purpose? These are easy questions if you know where to look for the answers.
God created us in His image and, in so doing, declared we are not bugs. We are His special creation and He deeply loves each one of us. If it were not so, John 3:16 would have never entered into human history: God loved the world so much --- all six billion of us -- that He sacrificed His Son that you and I could have hope, purpose and eternal life. If this is not so, then the rest of Scripture’s assurances, such as these few which follow, are worthless:
“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6, 7).
“For high as the heavens are above the earth, so great in His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11).
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15, 16).
Scripture’s declaration, repeated hundreds of times throughout God’s word, leaps off the pages: We are precious in God’s eyes and He longs to gather each of us to Himself.
The point? Isn’t it time to turn our backs on thoughts and philosophies which rob us of our rightful heritage? Isn’t it time to stop living like bugs, turn to Christ and start living like a child of God?
“Come,” Christ invites, “all you who are weary and burdened . . . and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:25).
Rich
RNmaffeo@aol.com
But if recent surveys are true, many people don’t believe they are unique. They see themselves as little more than misplaced commas in the Novel of Life. Their existence adds nothing to the story line. Why else would more than 30 thousand people in the United States alone commit suicide each year -- one person every 20 minutes? Why do another 400 thousand make unsuccessful attempts? Each year one million families are torn apart by divorce.
Perhaps this wide-spread sense of poor self-esteem is best illustrated in one of Gary Larson’s Far Side cartoons. Larson draws a group of insects gathered at a party and one beetle laments to another, “Think about it, Ed. The class Insecta contains 26 orders, almost 1,000 families, and over 750,000 described species. But I can’t shake the feeling we’re all just a bunch of bugs.”
I wonder if Larson hits a raw nerve for some people. The species Homo Sapiens (human beings) contains six billion members who belong to hundreds of cultures and ethnic groups. We laugh, we love, we cry, we create. Yet, judging from the numbers of shattered lives and broken homes among us -- too many of us think of ourselves as insignificant creatures without purpose.
But are we really little more than a bunch of bugs? Does anyone care we exist?
Do we have purpose? These are easy questions if you know where to look for the answers.
God created us in His image and, in so doing, declared we are not bugs. We are His special creation and He deeply loves each one of us. If it were not so, John 3:16 would have never entered into human history: God loved the world so much --- all six billion of us -- that He sacrificed His Son that you and I could have hope, purpose and eternal life. If this is not so, then the rest of Scripture’s assurances, such as these few which follow, are worthless:
“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6, 7).
“For high as the heavens are above the earth, so great in His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11).
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15, 16).
Scripture’s declaration, repeated hundreds of times throughout God’s word, leaps off the pages: We are precious in God’s eyes and He longs to gather each of us to Himself.
The point? Isn’t it time to turn our backs on thoughts and philosophies which rob us of our rightful heritage? Isn’t it time to stop living like bugs, turn to Christ and start living like a child of God?
“Come,” Christ invites, “all you who are weary and burdened . . . and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:25).
Rich
RNmaffeo@aol.com
posted by rich at
2:21 PM
