Designed by God

Today: Psalm 133-139

I like watching and reading about creative people--particularly designers, artists and builders. It's fascinating to watch shows where a creative person takes nothing and makes it into something pretty spectacular--whether it's a canvas, some fabric or a run-down piece of property.

After watching an hour or 30 minutes of a TV show featuring such creativity, I often have a moment when I'm just amazed at what's been created in front of my eyes. This morning I was watching a show where a guy designed a chandelier for a basketball fundraiser...out of hula hoops. Amazing!

And if we can admire a well-designed room, dress, or building--why is it that many people struggle to admire their well-designed selves? Or the God-built wonders in other people?

I love this portion of today's passage where David expresses his wonder at God's human creation:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!

God, I'll never comprehend them!

I couldn't even begin to count them—

any more than I could count the sand of the sea.

Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!

It's really sad to think that we often believe and say belittling things like, "I'm ugly" or "I'm stupid" or "I don't measure up" about ourselves or our fellow human beings. The next time you think or hear such comments, take a moment and realize, "Hey! That's a God design I'm talking about!" God is a creative genius--and the creative genius who made you just the way you are.

Tomorrow: Psalm 140-145

My favorite

Today: Galatians 4-6

Today's passages included one of my favorite Bible quotes. Ever.

It's Galatians 5:6b--and I have to say that I think I like the NIV version better. It says simply, "...The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

It's very simple, but one of my favorites because it captures the idea that faith and love are always tied together...you can't really love God, a person, or even a company if you don't have some measure of faith in them. And if you have faith, it's demonstrated in your life through your love.

Throughout the book of Galatians, Paul is writing to people who have been drawn to listen to legalistic, rule-based religion (see "Mary Poppins faith"). But that's not what Christianity is about...it's about grace, love and freedom. However, Paul does a good job of explaining the balance between freedom and following God's instructions:

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life.

Just make sure that you don't use this freedom

as an excuse to do whatever you want to do

and destroy your freedom.

Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love;

that's how freedom grows.

For everything we know about God's Word

is summed up in a single sentence:

Love others as you love yourself.

That's an act of true freedom.

This portion of the passage provides a very high-level picture of a free life, grounded in God's guidance. What does that mean to your everyday life? To your everyday work?

Thankfully, Paul gives a bit more instruction to address those questions as well. Take a look:

Make a careful exploration of who you are

and the work you have been given,

and then sink yourself into that.

Don't be impressed with yourself.

Don't compare yourself with others.

Each of you must take responsibility

for doing the creative best you can

with your own life.

I think he's saying here that our lives our really a gift from God--our responsibility is to do the "creative best" we can (to be good stewards, if you will) of every aspect of our lives. That may sound like a tall order, but remember--you and I have been given freedom to make choices about our time, family, relationships, money, work, service and more. Some important questions? How is your faith expressed in love? And in the "creative best" of your life?

Tomorrow: Ephesians 1-3