What a glorious day today in Minnesota!! The sky is blue, the birds are chirping, the air is warm (40+ degrees already!!!!!!!) and I hear the sound of constant dripping from all the melting snow.
WHAT. A. WELCOMED. DAY!!!!!
It's very easy for me to jump on this third name of Jesus today and run with it. Jesus the Creator, has created a beautiful day for us! There is nothing like the majesty of creation to declare the praises of our God, is there? From the vast expanse of a perfectly blue sky, to the glory and heights of a snow-capped mountain range, or the unbelieavable depths of an ocean as far as the eye can see...Creation has a way of taking our breath away and making us feel very, very small in light of a big world around us, full of intricate detail and indescribable expanse. It's easy to picture God the Father as Creator, but actually Jesus is also the Creator. Scripture confirms that He was present at the Creation of the World and that He had a role in the process.
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him, all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made." John 1:1-3
"For by Him all things were created; things in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and For Him."
Colossians 1:16
"For by Him all things were created; things in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and For Him."
Colossians 1:16
In other words, there is nothing that has been created apart from the work of Jesus. He's had a hand in it all, he's over it all, and it's for Him that it all exists. My friend Cheri recently taught on this very verse at our Women's Retreat and she made the point that because He is the Creator, I am valuable. Why? Because He made ME. He formed ME. He planned ME. With his intention, I was created by Him and for Him. I'm not an accident, I'm not an oversight, and I'm not a mistake. And neither are you.
One of my very favorite passages of scripture, especially as I've been pregnant with each of my kids and even now with Walker, is from Psalm 139. You know it, it's the famous "fearfully and wonderfully made" passage, but maybe as you read these verses again, picture Jesus involved in this work...in the creation of YOU.
"For you (Jesus) created my inmost being; you (Jesus) knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you (Jesus) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (by YOU Jesus); your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you (Jesus) when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes (the eyes of Jesus) saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written (by YOU Jesus) in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16 (emphasis mine).
Isn't it incredible to read that and to believe God? It's impossible to hear how He created us (YOU & ME) with such purpose, with such care, with such intention and then to believe the lie that we mean nothing to Him or anyone else. That is a lie that so many of us fall prey to, the "not good enough, always forgotten, not worthy, overlooked by everyone" lie. And it's NOT from the Lord, it's from the mouth of Satan and it's meant to torment us and to twist the truth. Because the truth about who we are and our value is from Jesus our Creator. And He says He made me fearfully and wonderfully.
I love the picture of Him as knitter, because I know a little something about what that means. To knit is to control each stitch and to make something, is to plan a project from beginning to end. There is great intention in every stitch, great care to weave it all together. It's impossible to knit something without looking at it, to fly through it and expect it to turn into a completed project. I also know that when something is handmade, its' worth and beauty are even more precious, even if they are found in the eyes of the beholder only. There is work involved, time invested and care shown. Every knitter takes their time in the creation of whatever they are making, examining it, handling it and thinking about it until it's just right. And according to scripture, that's exactly how Jesus created us. We are his prized creation, the crown of the creation of the world, the only thing made in His very image.
I love the picture of Him as knitter, because I know a little something about what that means. To knit is to control each stitch and to make something, is to plan a project from beginning to end. There is great intention in every stitch, great care to weave it all together. It's impossible to knit something without looking at it, to fly through it and expect it to turn into a completed project. I also know that when something is handmade, its' worth and beauty are even more precious, even if they are found in the eyes of the beholder only. There is work involved, time invested and care shown. Every knitter takes their time in the creation of whatever they are making, examining it, handling it and thinking about it until it's just right. And according to scripture, that's exactly how Jesus created us. We are his prized creation, the crown of the creation of the world, the only thing made in His very image.
So, if He is Creator, then I have value. And so do you. I am wanted. I was planned. I am loved!! And that isn't something I made up or something I hope to be true, that's what He says about it and His Word is so much more reliable than how I may feel or what someone else may say about me. Because if we're honest, we all probably struggle with our self worth, or with our value, from time to time. It's such a common emotion and such a destructive lie that the Enemy wields with power. But the thing is, he only has as much power as we give him. We can counter his every move with the truth about what God says. Because we know the Creator, right?? We know the Grand Designer and we know the way He cares for us. We can behold the intricacies of a flower and marvel at the incredible detail, every color, each detail, the textures...and we can KNOW that as amazing as the flowers of the field are, we are worth so much more in His eyes! So we don't have to fall for the lies of the Enemy and we don't have to let him drown us in inferiority.
He is Creator and therefore, we have value.
He is Creator and therefore, we have value.
So today, maybe some questions to consider...
-Have I fallen for the lie that I'm not worth anything?
-What does Jesus as Creator say about my worth?
-What do I communicate to others (specifically to younger, listening ears) about self-worth?
-Do I believe Jesus is Creator? Really believe it??
He claims it, but it's up to me to believe Him.
He claims it, but it's up to me to believe Him.
Do I?
With my kids today...
This is a topic they love! We spent some time outside today in this amazing weather, listening to the birds, enjoying the warmth of the air, and dreaming about Spring and Summer. We talked about who made everything we see, and how we know that. It's amazing the influences that want to chip away at that fundamental belief, but we will work hard to make sure our kids know God's Word and know what it says about how this world and each one of us came to be. My kids love building with blocks and making things with legos. That's a great way to create something together and then talk about how we feel about what we've made. If we don't teach our kids that Jesus is the Creator, and especially that they have worth in this world because of that fact alone, they will never know the truth. This world will tell them a million things, most of them worthless in light of the truth. It's our job to fill their hearts and minds with truth!! So let's do that today and talk about our Creator and His very personal role in the creation of them. They need to hear that from us. And Moms?? Our kids need to hear us believing God about our value, not wallowing in everything we aren't or in defeat of how we look. Let's give that gift to them!
This name is powerful to me and I pray it is for you too. Especially if you are struggling with your value or your self-worth, let this name of Jesus speak to your struggle. Ask Him to be your Creator, to counter the lies of the enemy with His truth. He wants you to know this about Him...Praying we'll all remember to take Him at His Word and BELIEVE Him!
With my kids today...
This is a topic they love! We spent some time outside today in this amazing weather, listening to the birds, enjoying the warmth of the air, and dreaming about Spring and Summer. We talked about who made everything we see, and how we know that. It's amazing the influences that want to chip away at that fundamental belief, but we will work hard to make sure our kids know God's Word and know what it says about how this world and each one of us came to be. My kids love building with blocks and making things with legos. That's a great way to create something together and then talk about how we feel about what we've made. If we don't teach our kids that Jesus is the Creator, and especially that they have worth in this world because of that fact alone, they will never know the truth. This world will tell them a million things, most of them worthless in light of the truth. It's our job to fill their hearts and minds with truth!! So let's do that today and talk about our Creator and His very personal role in the creation of them. They need to hear that from us. And Moms?? Our kids need to hear us believing God about our value, not wallowing in everything we aren't or in defeat of how we look. Let's give that gift to them!
This name is powerful to me and I pray it is for you too. Especially if you are struggling with your value or your self-worth, let this name of Jesus speak to your struggle. Ask Him to be your Creator, to counter the lies of the enemy with His truth. He wants you to know this about Him...Praying we'll all remember to take Him at His Word and BELIEVE Him!
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