WONDERFULLY MADE THEN REMADE
SAVED TO LIFE FOR CHRIST IN THE HERE AND NOW . . . TO LIVE WITH CHRIST IN THE HEREAFTER
Genesis 2:3 . . . Psalm 139:1-6 . . . 13-18 . . . 2 Cor. 5:1
In the counseling profession, a typical question for getting counselees to open up and talk about themselves is, “How does that make you feel?” or “How do you feel about that”? For example, “My husband does not appreciate what all I do for him.” “How does that make you feel”? Or, “My wife is always reminding me to do stuff that I fully intend to do when I get around to it.” “How do you feel about that”?
For the purposes of this Bible study session, let me ask you a question, “How does it make you feel when you are told that God knows you so well that even the hairs on your head are numbered?” He knows about the bald spots too – and the freckles, the wrinkles, the warts, whatever. Nothing is hidden from our Maker!
Psalm 139 tells us how David felt about God’s awareness of him, and us . . . our individual situations . . . our personal circumstances. He knows all about us. He knows who we are and where we are. He knows our past, present and future.
The psalm extols the fact that there is no aspect of life beyond God’s awareness and understanding. He knows. He understands. He cares – Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 . . .
God knows our actions: “when I sit and when I rise” . . . our thoughts: “You perceive my thoughts” . . . our nights as well as our days: “You perceive my going out and my lying down” . . . what we say, even what we want to say: “Before a word is on my tongue, you know it”! “Well, I wanted to say (felt like saying) this or that.” God knows. Exasperated, someone might say: “What’s the use? At this point, God probably doesn’t think too highly of me.”
However, remember: God knows, but, He understands we are imperfect human beings. God is patient. Think less about the negative aspects of God knowing us (our weaknesses, our failures); think more about the positive aspect of us knowing God!
Just to think that God knows, understands and cares about me: humbles me and makes me feel forgiven and unafraid; gives me a sense of awe as it did David: “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!” Life is precious! Even in the womb! Before we were born! Nonsense to the argument that we were “just tissue” not “babies” before we were delivered into the world to breathe on our own!
“You knit me together”! “My frame was not hidden from You when I was conceived”! “Your eyes saw my unformed body”! “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew You”! (Jeremiah). Clearly our Maker regards that which is conceived in the womb to be a live baby, a developing child - not just tissue.
Contrary to what far too many people have been led by atheists to believe, (and I consider any belief about God-given life that is contrary to God’s Word, to be a form of atheism), a fetus is a child in his or her embryonic and early stage of development – a person wonderfully made in the image of God. Here’s the thing, folks:
The LORD God knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb . . . created humanity “for making” (Genesis 2:3) . . . knew who we were and would become as we began our development . . . was present at our birth . . . knew we needed to be remade, so God made a Way when there seemed to be no way.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17)
The LORD God has been, continues to be with us throughout our journey - and you know what? When I woke up this morning, God was still with me . . . When I go to sleep for the last time in the here and now, I will awake to His eternal presence!
Knowing that “God knows” and knowing that “God is with me” motivated me to make things right with God (thus, my conversion) . . . motivates me to make things right with Him daily. Thus, my prayer: “Forgive me my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me.”
Each day, I do what I did at my conversion - come to God in repentance and simultaneously receive His forgiveness. “Just as I am . . . O Lamb of God, I come.”
Having done this each day since my conversion, I now know what the LORD God has always known: In His mercy, God my Father forgives, forgets, wipes the slate clean, holds my sins against me no more!
An important factor to remember about repentance is that God already knows about our sins; it’s not that we must tell Him so He can know what we are talking about; no; we must tell Him to show we are willing to humble ourselves and acknowledge our sins.
And the promise of God our Father is:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession that leads to profession is how we make things right with God – and, with others. Nothing pleases the heavenly Father more. So, let these words be our prayer:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
“Test me and know my thoughts.
“See if there be any sinful way in me,
“And lead me in the way everlasting.” Selah.
SERVICE OF COMMUNION
When we make our transition from this life to the life to come - fully aware that God our Father is leading us in the way everlasting - let it be we clearly see: God is in control, as He always has been even before we were conceived, is now, and forevermore will be.
Whatever I might be thinking down the Home stretch of my never-ending journey, there is one thought that I want to be uppermost in my mind: “It is well with my soul.” In particular the third verse:
“My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”
In remembrance of the Lord Jesus, who took my sin upon himself and died on the cross for me, let us do as Jesus did on the night of the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus took bread, blessed it, brake it, and said to his disciples:
This is my body which is broken for you.
Jesus took the cup and said to his disciples:
This is the New Covenant paid for with my blood.
The Apostle Paul instructed all believers to observe this act of remembrance, saying, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink of this cup, you proclaim our Lord’s death (atoning sacrifice) until he comes”.
As we partake of the two elements, we give thanks for our new life in Christ, we give thanks for eternal life with Christ.
We invite you to take and eat the wafer symbolizing His broken body, and to take and drink the fruit of the vine symbolizing His shed blood.
Prayer of thanks: God our Father, we offer the gratitude of our hearts and the praise of our lips for thy great salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Passing of the elements accompanied by Instrumental Music
The bread . . . The juice . . .
In Unison: Thanks be to God who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Song: “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love . . .”
Benediction: As we continue life’s journey, let us never forget that according to God’s plan we were brought into this world, by His goodness and mercy we are being sustained, by His grace we have been redeemed, by His presence we are being reassured all the days of our lives, and by His power we shall receive the greatest blessing of all: We shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever. Amen.
