The Unknown

There is a picture being painted. A design being constructed. A plan being accomplished. A story is being told. There is only one writer, one artist, and only one God. He is the only one who understands, comprehends, designs, creates, and He is the only one who sees the big picture. He is the only one who knows how the pieces fit.

Look into the sky and see the stars. Look into the heavens and see how majestic God is. Psalm 8:3-4 says, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" I ask the same question so many times, "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"

Man is a worm in need of a savior like it says in Isaiah 41:14, "'Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you', declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Man is sinful, "For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23)." "We[man] were by nature objects of wrath (Ephesians 2:3b)" and even our good works are like filthy rags, "All of us[man] become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away (Isaiah 64:6)."

"There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:10-18)."

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)." While we were unrighteous, Christ died for us. While we never understood, Christ died for us. While we never sought after Him, Christ died for us. While we turned away, Christ died for us. While we were evil, Christ died for us. While we were deceitful, Christ died for us. While we cursed and hated, Christ died for us. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8b)." "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification (Romans 4:25)."

The truth is that we are sinners. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)." In Christ Jesus our Lord we find life. In Him alone can we ever be satisfied. "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)." In Christ we find rest and in Christ we find hope. In Christ we find love, "We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)." Our lives are a response to the love of Christ. We act out of love not out of our own love, but out of the love of Christ. We are incapable of anything good unless it is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Man was created from dust and to dust we will return, but from dust we were created in the image of God. We are His children, born again into the body of Christ. Our purpose is to bring the glory of God to this planet, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)." We are the ambassadors of Christ and we are called to go out and make disciples of many nations, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)" That is our call as children of God.

When God looks at us He does not see us, but He sees Christ. He sees pure and Holy people walking in the light of His love and bringing an end to darkness across the world. We are the light of the world and salt of the earth. Wherever we go by the way we live we proclaim His name. Every second of our days are an act of continuous worship to the King. We are the bride, the bride that God has so long been waiting for. So why does God love us? We are made in His image and we are His bride and we are His children and we bring Glory to His name and we are His ambassadors and we are His followers and we are a result of Him first loving us. The complexity of God's love for us incomprehensible. We will never know fully why He loves us and we will never be able to see all the ways He has loved us.

We are a part of a picture. God has written us into His story and He is constantly with us. He is a loving father and He will never abandon us. We have been called by Him and if we listen we will find eternal life. We will find true love. God's ways are higher than our own and even though we still wonder how God could love us when we are so sinful, we just have to trust that He has all the answers. We will never be able to fully understand God until heaven, but as children of God we need to have perspective. Since the beginning of time God had us in mind. He knew what we would be and how we would live. He raised up people to influence us and play a role in our lives. He brought us into existence and He will bring us home. We never need to worry about the unknown, because God knows. He is the one who invented the universe and the laws of motion and gravity. He designed it all and He is outside of them. Creation can not comprehend the ways of the creator, because the creator is greater. God is greater. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

What I am trying to say through all of this is that I trust God, because His ways our greater. Why would I trust myself, creation, when I can trust God, creator? Also I trust God because I am fallen. I need Him constantly to supply me life. Without Him I would be nothing it is only in Christ that I live. He is the breath of life and in Him I find streams of living water. He guides me through the valley of the shadow of death and He protects me from the evil one. He is the good shepherd that has gone after me. He has found me and is bringing me home. After all of this I still find it hard to trust God. I find it hard, because of my own blindness. At times I feel like I can surrender it all for Him, but then there are times when I keep parts of my life from Him for my own comfort, but in time He brings it to light. God is patient with me and He loves me this I know through His son. I am His creation and I am made in His image. I trust in Him, because I know that He has a plan for me, a plan with a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29). His ways are greater than mine and even though the world says no to His ways I will not conform to them, because I choose to be transformed by His grace (Romans 12). I choose to be a servant of God rather than a slave to sin. Even though I can't see the big picture I still want to be a part of His picture and I want to be a part of his plan, because I know the truth and that is He loves me! So onward into the unknown I go... in complete trust and faith I take a step!