By Chris WittsSunday 10 Mar 2013Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
An old grandmother was talking to her grandchildren about life,and values,and that sort of thing,when one of the kids asked if she believed in God. “Oh,sometimes” she said. “Why don’t you pray to Him” the other little girl asked .. And she said “Oh God is too busy running the world to worry about me” I have a feeling that many people think like that .. as if God is up there somewhere in the heavens,too busy doing whatever to worry about us individually .. But I want to say this morning .. CS Lewis used to say .. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal,”. It’s true-each one of us is a special creation of God. You are special to God. His love and concern for you is intensely personal. God is wrapped up in mankind,and the Bible tells me He created human beings for His glory,for fellowship with Him. His love is not some giant experiment .. it’s not a sentimental thing .. it certainly is not like Charlie Brown who said “I love mankind .. it’s people I can’t stand”. No,our God never says that. He loves you intensely.
Believe it or not-no one else is just like you. Your physical appearance,your voice and personality traits-your habits,intelligence,personal tastes-all these make you one of a kind. Even your fingerprints distinguish you from every other human being-past,present,or future. You are not the product of some cosmic assembly line; you are unique. And that is a wonderful fact to encourage you today.
But the most important fact of your identity is that God created you in His own image (Genesis 1:27 says “God created humans to be like Himself,He made men and women”.. He made you so you could share in His creation,could love and laugh and know Him person to person. You are special indeed!
Around the world there is misery and unhappiness,as we see on the media and on TV news. I recall that shortly after the collapse of Communism in the USSR,the widely respected preacher Robert Schuler spoke to a TV audience of millions of people in the former Soviet Union one Christmas. To the Soviet listeners,whose economic system was collapsing and who were seeking a meaning for life,Schuler spoke simply and plainly about human dignity and its source in the God who made us. And many believed there was hope in a God who loved them,and sought them out. It clearly says in Psalm 145: 8-9 “You are merciful,Lord. You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone,and You take care of Your creation”
The Bible reveals God’s total interest in you as an individual. The psalmist in Psalm 139 v14 wrote in one of his most beautiful prayers,” I praise You because of the wonderful way You created me. Everything You do is marvellous. Of this I have no doubt”. God knew you even before you were born. Then,and now,He has plans just for you,plans conceived in love. He loves you and me so much; yet how often we go our own way,turning our backs on Him. God’s designs for our lives are then blocked; But even here we are precious to God,for He continues to love us even when we pay Him no mind. He still sees us as individuals with great value. No wonder the psalmist went on in Psalm 139 to say this ..”Your thoughts are far beyond my understanding,much more than I could ever imagine. I try to count your thoughts,but they outnumber the grains of sand on the beach,And when I awake,I will find you nearby (Psalm 139:17,18). God is not an unfeeling,cold-hearted monarch of the heavens. He feels our pains; He shares our sorrows. He cares,and He considers each one of us important enough to love.
In fact,He loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for our sins. “Real love is not our love for God ..but His love for us. God sent His Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven”. (1 John 4:10).
Because you and I are special to God,He wants to forgive us and give us a full,meaningful life. When we trust in Jesus Christ and let Him put our lives together,the Bible says that we become “God’s masterpieces,created in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10,paraphrase). Can anyone be more special than that?
So,isn’t it great to know that God loves each one of us. And He knows us. Again,I find this fact mind-boggling. I can understand God loving some of the really special people of this world – the Mother Teresas and the Nelson Mandelas – people who have really made this world a better place
for many. But to love a person like me,that is truly amazing. But that’s the wonder of God’s love.
It doesn’t matter who we are or what we have done – or indeed not done – God loves us
God loves us so much that he gave his only Son.