Grace for the Race

What have you been fixing your eyes on lately? What captures your focus throughout each day, week, month, and year? I’d like to offer a word of encouragement to help you fix your focus in the right direction.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Hebrews 12:1-2)

The writer of Hebrews tells us just how important our focus is. When our eyes are fixed in the wrong direction and on the wrong thing, it becomes something that “hinders” us and “easily entangles” us, inhibiting our forward and faithful progress in the race of life.

So . . . what have you been fixing your eyes on lately? Jesus? Or have you locked on to something smaller that will certainly cause you to stumble? In his wonderful Morning and Evening devotional, Charles Spurgeon provided these profound words:

It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus, but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of His children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus.”

The goal of the accuser of the saints is always to get believers to shift their focus away from the Savior and onto the self. When self is on the throne of life, the Savior is not. And when the Savior is not, there is no telling what faithless ditch we will swerve into. Only when we fix our eyes on Jesus are we living a life that truly matters! Notice what the passage from Hebrews does not say. It does not say . . .

• Fix your eyes on your faith
• Fix your eyes on your prayers
• Fix your eyes on your good works
• Fix your eyes on your service
• Fix your eyes on your repentance
• Fix your eyes on your pastor

It is only when we have fixed our eyes on Jesus that we will begin to know what it means to live the abundant life. Abundance in this life is never about our “stuff.” It is always and only about our Savior. We must keep our focus on Jesus . . . His life . . . His death . . . His resurrection . . . His continual intercession for us! From the moment we rise in the morning until the moment we close our eyes at night, we are to fix our eyes of faith—however wavering that faith may be at present—on Jesus, trusting that He is the one who has authored our faith and will, one day, perfect it. Until that glorious Day, live with a fixed focus on the Faithful One!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Why He Did It!

This is the third and final installment in this series on the good Shepherd who is revealed to us in Scripture. We’ve been focused on Jesus’ words in the gospel of John:

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

(John 10:11-15)

On Wednesday, we took a look at who this good Shepherd is in both the Old and New Testaments. On Thursday, we saw what the good Shepherd does. Today we will briefly look at why He did it.

Our good Shepherd did what He did so that we would once again be reconciled to God and restored to an intimate, personal, loving . . .

RELATIONSHIP!

The relationship Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden—intimate, personal, loving, walking with God in the cool of the day—was lost when they turned away from Him and disobeyed His command. They willfully chose to remove God from the throne of their lives and put themselves on it. As a result of this awful act of cosmic treason, our first parents were banished from the Garden, and forced to live “East of Eden.”

But, as we’ve seen so many times here, God made a promise in Genesis 3:15 to make atonement for their sin. And it is only through trusting in the good Shepherd of the Bible that our lost relationship with God will be restored. Paradise lost is Paradise regained when we place our trust in Christ alone for our redemption and reconciliation with God.

In our relationship with our redeeming good Shepherd, we have two marks placed upon us:

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

(John 10:27)

Mark #1 is placed on our ear – “My sheep listen to my voice.”

Mark #2 is placed on our foot – “They [my sheep] follow me.”

So . . . how good is your hearing? How well do you follow? Remember, we are always listening to some voice, and there are many strident voices in the world trying to get our attention. But the sheep of the good Shepherd listen to His voice. And then, after listening to His voice, the sheep of God follow Him . . . wherever He leads, regardless of the cost or circumstance.

David Limbaugh, brother of talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh, is a former skeptic who is now a believer. David told an interviewer . . .

One thing that blew me away and got me over the tipping point from skeptic to believer was the amazing Messianic prophecies that were fulfilled in such specificity. The prophet Micah in the Old Testament predicted the actual city of Jesus’ birth—Bethlehem—700 years before it happened!

My spiritual father, Dr. D. James Kennedy, often pointed out that there are 333 Old Testament prophecies that deal with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the good Shepherd. When one takes even a cursory glance at these prophecies, it is plain to see that Jesus is our good Shepherd. He came to die for His sheep and He rose from the grave in order to have a personal relationship which each one of His sheep.

I pray that this will be the confession of your life: that you are a friend of God through Jesus Christ.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

What He Does!

This is the second installment in a three-part series on the Good Shepherd who is revealed to us in Scripture. We are focusing on Jesus’ words in the gospel of John:

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

(John 10:11-15)

On Wednesday, we took a look at who this good Shepherd is in both the Old and the New Testaments. Today, in part 2, we will see exactly what the good Shepherd does: He lays down His life for His sheep. Our Lord said this plainly in verse 11 and then again in verse 15. When our Lord repeats something twice in Scripture, it is not because He forgot he said it the first time or because He is just “rambling.” He repeats Himself for emphasis; He is calling our attention to what He saying. “Do you see this, sheep? Do you grasp this? I lay down my life . . . for you!”

There is no greater demonstration of true love than for one person to willingly lay down his life for another. Indeed, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, stood in our place of condemnation and paid the penalty of our sin. He took . . .

• Our beating
• Our scourging
• Our crown of thorns
• Our nine-inch nails
• Our cross
• Our death

Jesus freely, willingly laid down His life to set us free from the penalty and the power of sin. For those who, by grace through faith, trust in Christ alone for eternal life, the penalty of sin has been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb who takes away all our sins. It is finished, as Jesus said in John 19:30. Our sin debt has been paid in full.

As glorious as that truth is, there is something that just flat-out amazes me every time I stop to think about it. Jesus did not lay down His life for his friends! Others have done that . . . a soldier leaps on a live hand grenade to shield his brothers from the blast. We read of such heroic acts and hope that we possess that same kind of courage and love. But here’s the thing: Colossians 1:21 tells us bluntly that we were alienated from God and enemies in our minds because of our evil behavior. That was our condition when Jesus died from us. Jesus died for us when we were still sinners (Romans 5:8) . . . when we were His enemies! It is that supernatural, utterly indescribable love that prompted Charles Wesley to write in 1738, “Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

And that’s not all! Not only has our Lord removed the penalty of sin forever, but the power of sin has also been taken away. After we have been raised from death to life by the power and the grace of God, we must remember that the same grace that saved us is the same grace that sanctifies us. The power that raised Jesus from death to life is the same power that is inside of every Christian (Ephesians 1:19), giving us the power to say NO to the things we ought to say NO to and the power of YES to the things we must say YES too!

So . . . knowing what the good Shepherd does, the question that each one of us must ask and answer is: “Has He done this for me?”

On Friday I will present the final installment of the great work of our good Shepherd.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Who He Is!

As we’ve been opening up the gospel of John at Cross Community Church, we took some time to drink in our Lord’s words in Chapter 10: “I am the good shepherd.” This week I’d like to take a closer look at three aspects of this most wonderful and comforting passage of Scripture.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

(John 10:11-15)

When you think of shepherds in the Bible, who comes to mind? Many of us would immediately think of David, the youngest son of Jesse, the shepherd boy whom God called to be king. Surely we would recall Moses tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all were shepherds. But who would you say is the greatest shepherd in all of the Old Testament?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  

(Psalm 23)

The Lord God Omnipotent is the greatest Shepherd in all the Old Testament! He is also the greatest Shepherd in the New Testament, just as Micah prophesized.

You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”…He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.

(Micah 5:2, 4)

The same Lord God Omnipotent who shepherds His people in the Old Testament is revealed to us again as the greatest Shepherd in the New Testament; we see Him in the second person of the Trinity: Jesus Christ. Jesus is described in Hebrews 13:20 as “that great Shepherd of the sheep . . . brought back from the dead.”

God is the one and only good shepherd who knows His sheep . . . and they know Him!

So here is the question to consider today: how well do you know Jesus? How much time do you spend getting to know who He really is?

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

If you’re a regular visitor to “Grace for the Race,” you know that I just concluded a five-part series on God’s very special love for you: God’s love wrought you, sought you, caught you, bought you, and taught you. Today, with Valentine’s Day just two days away, let’s see what it means to be “so loved,” as was described by the apostle John.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

(John 3:16)

Think about this for a moment: writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John could not think of a better word to describe God’s love for us than “so.” This is highly instructive. The last five articles I’ve posted described different aspects of God’s love in Christ for us, all of which fit under this heading of SO LOVED. I believe God wants us to contemplate just how loved we are and apply the appropriate descriptive word that fits the circumstance we are in.

• Are you feeling worthless . . . like you’re some kind of a “second-class citizen”? Perish the thought; God’s love wrought you! You are made in the image of God!
• Are you feeling all alone . . . like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? Perish the thought; God’s love sought you! And He has promised never to leave you or forsake you!
• Are you feeling like you’ve “blown” your relationship with God . . . like you’ve failed so badly that God would never want anything to do with you? Perish the thought; God’s love caught you! He sought out Adam and Peter—not to punish them, but to restore them. The angels in heaven rejoice when you turn back to God in repentance and faith!
• Are you feeling like you’re “not that special” . . . like you’re just another face in the crowd? Perish the thought; God’s love bought you! He gave His only Son to redeem you from the slave market of sin. You are spectacularly special!
• Are you feeling discouraged because the people around you seem so much more intelligent . . . like you’re just not that bright? Perish the thought; God’s love taught you! As we saw in Wednesday’s article, He has sent His Spirit to teach you all things!

You are so loved! God’s love for you is that great and all-encompassing!

Here are a few more ways to understand what it means to be “so loved.” We are . . .

SO LOVED that God gave us His precious Son, Jesus. God the Father gave God the Son, not only in His life, but in His death. Jesus willingly went to a cross in our place. Jesus Christ wasn’t held on that cruel cross by nails; He was held there by His unbelievable, supernatural love for us. When we contemplate what it means to be “so loved,” we must always see it in light of the cross.

SO LOVED that our relationship is rooted in our belief . . . not our behavior. Look at John 3:16 again. Jesus did not say that whoever behaves in good, right, true, and noble ways should not perish; He said whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will have eternal life. The apostle Paul echoed this truth to the Ephesians: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, italics added). Now that’s a “so loved” worth marinating in and sharing with the world!

SO LOVED that the best is yet to come; we have been promised eternal life! Remember, we are living in eternity right now. This means we have been given both eternal life and everyday life in which to experience the overwhelming, unconditional, unwavering, indescribable love of God!

So as we head into Valentine’s Day this weekend and we remember those we love in this life, may we never forget the One who first loved us with a love that could only be described by John as SO loved! From cover to cover, the Bible is God’s love letter to you. The more you read it through, from Genesis to Revelation, the more you will understand the meaning of “so loved.” And if you really want this Valentine’s Day to be all it could be, share the love of God in Christ Jesus with all those you know and love. Let them know that they too are SO LOVED!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

This is final installment in this series of articles detailing God’s amazing love for you. We’ve seen so far that God’s love wrought you, sought you, caught you, and bought you; today we will conclude by looking at the love that TAUGHT you . . . and is continuing to teach you all along your way to the Celestial City.

Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?   He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

(Psalm 25:12)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

(Psalm 32:8)

All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children’s peace.

(Isaiah 54:13)

It is written in the Prophets: “They will all be taught by God.” Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

(John 6:45)

The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

(John 14:26)

Time and time again, Scripture reminds us that our great God is also our Truth Teacher. God never saves an individual without a view to sanctifying him. God’s design for all those He WROUGHT, SOUGHT, CAUGHT, & BOUGHT, is that they will be TAUGHT throughout the rest of their lives. This is the process God uses to conform us into the image of His Son.

Think about it this way: God renews our mind, reorients our heart, and realigns our will. He accomplishes this primarily through what I call “Bible intake.” Whether we are marinating in and meditating on Scripture in our quiet time, sitting under the preaching of the Word, or engaged in group Bible study, God’s Word is truth and He sanctifies us by His truth (John 17:17).

The most important aspect of God’s educational process in our lives is the shift from a secular worldview to a biblical worldview. The Christian must view the world and everything in it through the lens of sacred Scripture. We are to square everything in life with the Bible . . . not the other way around, as far too many try to do today. The foundation of a biblical worldview tells us that there is indeed a God and He is not us! God sits on the throne of life as both Creator and Sustainer; as we draw nearer to Him, we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The only worldview that squares with reality is the worldview presented in Scripture. No one ever more perfectly described the true condition of the human heart than our Lord Jesus Christ. We truly are great sinners in need of a greater Savior! We are broken and in need of mending, and that mending of heart and soul and mind will come only through our Master.

Contemplating the first four aspects of God’s special love that I’ve presented in these recent articles (a supernatural love that wrought us, sought us, caught us, and bought us) should be all the encouragement and empowerment we need to soak up God’s love that taught us and is continuing to teach us . . . not in a day, but every day.

May the truth of God’s special love set you free and may God forever forbid that these words from the weeping prophet would ever apply to our lives . . .

They turned their backs to me and not their faces, though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.

(Jeremiah 32:33)

Living for Jesus and nothing smaller than Jesus is the only life worth living. This is the only place where we find meaning, purpose, significance, and an identity that simply cannot be shaken . . . because it is built on the solid Rock of Christ.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

As we move into the week of Valentine’s Day and our thoughts turn toward the concept of “love,” I am presenting here the fourth in a series of five articles spotlighting the amazing love that God has poured out on all those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ.

We’ve already seen that we were wrought, sought, and caught by the love of God. That is one thing, but to be BOUGHT by His love is another thing altogether!

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

What does it mean to be bought by God’s love? It means we could not possibly pay the bill for the penalty of our sin. Someone else had to pay the price; only one Person could do it; His name is Jesus Christ. Jesus shed His precious blood and gave His life to purchase our freedom and redeem us from our bondage to sin and Satan.

We are all slaves to sin and Satan by natural birth. Freedom comes only through a second birth, which comes only through the redeeming blood of the Lamb of God. God’s love quite literally bought us back from the grave! We were dead in our sins and trespasses—we weren’t sick, we weren’t even gravely ill, we were dead. And instead of leaving us there, Jesus bought us back into a right relationship with God the Father through His precious blood, shed for us on a cross.

Think for just a moment about how profound this truth really is. God’s love bought us—Jesus Christ paid the ransom to set us free. Just as if we were condemned slaves on the auction block, Jesus Christ stood up and BOUGHT us through His sovereign birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, and supernatural resurrection.

Knowing this truth is the key to living out this truth. Keeping the cost for our salvation in view is the fuel for living a life of freedom, joy, and faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

(Galatians 5:1)

You see, the love of God that bought us also builds us up in the faith. When Scripture says that the truth sets us free, it is instructing us to always keep the truth in view. Living in the shadow of the cross is living in the power to say NO to the things we must say no to and YES to the things we must say yes to. Now, that does not mean we will be perfect on this side of the grave. Far from it! But we must remember that the grace that saved us is also the grace that sanctifies us throughout life on this earth.

So . . . when you consider the fact that God’s love bought you, how does that make you feel? It should be all the encouragement, motivation, and inspiration you need to live for nothing smaller than Jesus. When you do that, you will know that the love that bought you also forgives you . . . and strengthens you!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

As we draw nearer to Valentine’s Day and our thoughts turn toward the ideas of “romance” and “love,” I am in the midst a series of five articles spotlighting the amazing love that God has poured out on all those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ. This is the third article in that series.

So . . . how encouraged are you by knowing that the love of Almighty God wrought you and sought you? Today you will be even more encouraged when you see that God’s love also CAUGHT you! That is all based on a single promise that God made to—of all people!—Satan.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

(Genesis 3:15)

When God makes a promise, you can take it straight to the bank and cash it. God promised to destroy the one who tempted Adam and Eve to turn away from Him. Here the first Gospel message (theologians call it the protoevangelium) was preached to the serpent: that the seed of the woman, the Savior of the world, would ultimately have victory over Satan by crushing his head. To be sure, the Savior would have His heel bruised, but His victory would not be denied. And that victory would grant you and me access to God’s love . . . the love that CAUGHT you!

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

(Luke 15:4-7)

Our Good Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one lost sheep. What a beautiful picture of God’s love that CAUGHT us in spite of our wandering. And make no mistake, we are most definitely prone to wander away from the loving care and protection of our Good Shepherd! And yet, just as God went after Adam and Eve to speak words of healing and hope and redemption, the Good Shepherd is not content to lose even one of His flock.

You know God’s love CAUGHT you when you find your heart filled with a godly sorrow as you repent over your sin. Our hearts should break when we know we have broken the holy heart of God. The difference between Judas and Peter was not evidenced by whose sin was more terrible; both men betrayed their Lord. One might even suggest that Peter’s sin was more grotesque; at least Judas admitted that he knew Jesus! No, the distinction lies in the condition of their hearts after their sin. Judas was filled with a man-centered sorrow, while Peter was filled with a godly sorrow. One led to death . . . the other to life.

Now if being WROUGHT, SOUGHT, and CAUGHT doesn’t light the fire of your faith . . . your wood is wet! What a powerful truth to marinate in today . . . to know that no matter where we go and what we do, we are never beyond the loving, forgiving reach of our Redeemer! And once we are His, nothing can separate us from the love of God that CAUGHT us!

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. . . . And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

(John 6:37, 39)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

(John 10:27-30)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

As many of us begin to think about Valentine’s Day and our hearts turn toward the idea of “love,” I wanted to present a series of five articles spotlighting the almost unimaginable love that God has poured out on you. This is the second article in that series.

After God wrought Adam and Eve, everything in creation was very good. We know this because God pronounced it so (Genesis 1:31). Our first parents were busily engaged in taking care of God’s creation, yet taking time to walk with Him in the cool of the day.

We saw in the previous article that God gave Adam a Cultural Mandate; that mandate contained only one prohibition. Let’s take a look:

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

(Genesis 2:15-17)

Man had authority and dominion over all things in the Garden . . . except God. That was the whole point of this one prohibition. There was nothing “bad” or wrong with the tree itself; the tree and its fruit were part of God’s good creation and had been pronounced “good” by God. The tree was simply a test. In essence, God was saying, “You can come this far, but no farther.”

Would Adam and Eve trust God? Would they submit to His ultimate authority? The moment of testing came, and . . .

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

(Genesis 3:6-10)

I remember Dr. Sproul telling us in seminary, “The word ‘fall’ is one way to describe what happened in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve disobeyed God. But I think a better word is PLUNGE!” I agree. Think about going from walking with God in the cool of the day to hiding from Him in the brush. Think about a wonderful relationship between God and man, one marked by love and trust, now replaced by fear. “Plunge” really does seem like a much better word to describe the fall, don’t you think?

But notice what is unfolding in this narrative. God came after those two rebels who were running away from Him. God’s love SOUGHT Adam and Eve. He refused to leave them in their shame and their sin.

Think about this for a moment: the Creator sought out the creature, two sinners who had just chosen to disobey God and follow the way of the serpent. And yet in spite of their awful revolt, God made a promise that will lead us to the next aspect of His love: CAUGHT!

More on Friday.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

If I asked you which chapter in the Bible is known as the “love chapter,” how would you respond? All of sacred Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, is rooted in the love of God, but most Christians would promptly identify the 13^th chapter of 1 Corinthians as the “love chapter” of the Bible.

Now, if I asked you which month on our calendar is known as the “love month,” how would you answer? Most would point to February, the month we have just started, because of Valentine’s Day. So as we move toward February 14^th, that special “love day,” I would like to sharpen our focus on the love of God that has been poured out on you under five headings: God’s love . . .

• WROUGHT YOU
• SOUGHT YOU
• CAUGHT YOU
• BOUGHT YOU
• TAUGHT YOU

Today, let’s see how God’s love WROUGHT you. The word wrought means to fashion, form, or create. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; He also created (wrought) you.

God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

You [O Lord] created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body . . .

(Psalm 139:13-16)

The unbelieving world tells us that we are merely a product of time plus matter plus chance; God reveals something altogether different. We are wrought by God, for God, and created in the image of God. Do you really believe God created you without a purpose in mind? Of course not! Everything that has been made has been created by its Creator for a purpose. The car maker has a purpose for creating the car. The watchmaker has a purpose for creating the watch. The ice cream maker has a purpose for creating the ice cream. And God has a purpose for creating YOU!

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, “I give you ever seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

(Genesis 1:28-30)

As an image bearer of the Most High God, you have been designed by your Maker to reflect His glory in all you think, do, say, and desire.

All of this comes under the heading of what theologians call the Cultural Mandate. You were wrought to be a creational caretaker of all that God has made. Now, since the fall in the Garden (which we will explore in the upcoming “CAUGHT YOU” devotional), our cultural caretaking must be accomplished by the sweat of our brow as we wrestle with the thorns and thistles of God’s judgment. Nonetheless, we have been given the very same mandate—both before and after the fall—to care for and have dominion over all that God created.

So . . . how are you doing in this very important area? Are you acting as a good steward?

More on the God’s amazing love for you coming on Wednesday.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!