Psalm 8:1-9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
I have always struggled with my worthiness. Why have I been so blessed in this life? Why do I have a husband that loves me so? Why did I grow up in an intact family? Why did God choose to bring me into this life that I am living? Why? why? why?
Last night at my small group bible study we read this verse. In fact, the verse was almost skipped because we were pressed for time. I'm glad we didn't miss it.
I have been made a little lower than an angel. I have been made ruler over creation. This is pretty big stuff. This makes me pretty special. If mankind has been created for a position such as this, it makes us pretty important in this world. No wonder we have harnessed all it's resources and used it to our advantage. But, you know what they say, "with great power comes great responsibility." Yes, we have been given the position of authority over this earth, but we have also been given the responsibility to care for this earth. This is the balance we need to exert.
A question in the study asked if I had had any particular event in my life bring me to an understanding of who God is and what my relationship is to him. I listened to the answers around the room. Some spoke of the time in their lives (typically the college years) when they strayed from their faith and walked on the wild side. It was interesting. Kind of. Sort of. It would have been a lot more interesting if someone in the room had ACTUALLY had a racy past, but that wasn't the case. Two members of the group are Naval Academy grads. Nope, no racy past there. One new graduate of William and Mary College who is also the preacher's kid. Nope, no racy past there. Others are government contractors or DOD employees. And still, no sordid past. I'm good with this. I'm glad I study with so many upstanding citizens. I'm glad to delve into the truth of God's word with these people. I like them.
It was nice to know I didn't have the past of being a crack whore to fit in. The event that changed my understanding of who God is and the nature of my relationship with him came to me when I accepted his forgiveness for a sin, I thought, was unforgivable. I had always heard that God was in the business of forgiving. I confess, God forgives. That's how it works. Yet here I was, living with an event from my past that I thought was too horrible to be forgiven. I lived with it for years. Then, one day while driving home from one of my son's therapy sessions in Washington, DC, something someone said on a radio program made me remember that God forgives all sins. Jesus died on the cross for each and every one of my sins. None were left out. Because of the blood of Christ, God forgives and it is all arrogance, on my part, to not accept his forgiveness. Arrogance. I was so surprised. I hadn't thought of it as arrogance. I'd always thought of it as unworthiness.
But here I am. A being created a little lower than the angels. This is why I can be proud of who I am. This is why the creator of the universe is mindful of me. This is why he knows the number of hairs on my head. The arrogance is not in how I live as a daughter of the King. The arrogance is in thinking I know better than the King.
630. The freedom of living with forgivness
631. The joy of studying the word of God with like-minded people
632. Christian radio stations
633. Little moments of time to myself to ponder who I am in this world
Linking with Emily at Imperfect Prose on Thursday.
I have always struggled with my worthiness. Why have I been so blessed in this life? Why do I have a husband that loves me so? Why did I grow up in an intact family? Why did God choose to bring me into this life that I am living? Why? why? why?
Last night at my small group bible study we read this verse. In fact, the verse was almost skipped because we were pressed for time. I'm glad we didn't miss it.
I have been made a little lower than an angel. I have been made ruler over creation. This is pretty big stuff. This makes me pretty special. If mankind has been created for a position such as this, it makes us pretty important in this world. No wonder we have harnessed all it's resources and used it to our advantage. But, you know what they say, "with great power comes great responsibility." Yes, we have been given the position of authority over this earth, but we have also been given the responsibility to care for this earth. This is the balance we need to exert.
A question in the study asked if I had had any particular event in my life bring me to an understanding of who God is and what my relationship is to him. I listened to the answers around the room. Some spoke of the time in their lives (typically the college years) when they strayed from their faith and walked on the wild side. It was interesting. Kind of. Sort of. It would have been a lot more interesting if someone in the room had ACTUALLY had a racy past, but that wasn't the case. Two members of the group are Naval Academy grads. Nope, no racy past there. One new graduate of William and Mary College who is also the preacher's kid. Nope, no racy past there. Others are government contractors or DOD employees. And still, no sordid past. I'm good with this. I'm glad I study with so many upstanding citizens. I'm glad to delve into the truth of God's word with these people. I like them.
It was nice to know I didn't have the past of being a crack whore to fit in. The event that changed my understanding of who God is and the nature of my relationship with him came to me when I accepted his forgiveness for a sin, I thought, was unforgivable. I had always heard that God was in the business of forgiving. I confess, God forgives. That's how it works. Yet here I was, living with an event from my past that I thought was too horrible to be forgiven. I lived with it for years. Then, one day while driving home from one of my son's therapy sessions in Washington, DC, something someone said on a radio program made me remember that God forgives all sins. Jesus died on the cross for each and every one of my sins. None were left out. Because of the blood of Christ, God forgives and it is all arrogance, on my part, to not accept his forgiveness. Arrogance. I was so surprised. I hadn't thought of it as arrogance. I'd always thought of it as unworthiness.
But here I am. A being created a little lower than the angels. This is why I can be proud of who I am. This is why the creator of the universe is mindful of me. This is why he knows the number of hairs on my head. The arrogance is not in how I live as a daughter of the King. The arrogance is in thinking I know better than the King.
630. The freedom of living with forgivness
631. The joy of studying the word of God with like-minded people
632. Christian radio stations
633. Little moments of time to myself to ponder who I am in this world
 |
| National Geographic |
Beautiful post. It really blessed me.
ReplyDeletecrackwhores need jesus too. smiles. we are all sinners fallen short...but we are all made a little lower than angels...and so true on the arrogance...
ReplyDeleteLovely!! Thank you friend!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting Bible study.
ReplyDeleteI struggle with that same sort of arrogance. Why is it so hard to accept forgiveness?
ReplyDeletei like watching you grow in Jesus. and i really like what you shared here. keep it up.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how sometimes we take God's love for granted, and at other times we don't believe he can possibly really love us so much. And sometimes we have those two emotions at the same time, eh?!
ReplyDeleteOk, I laughed out loud (and kind of snorted when I did it): "It was nice to know I didn't have the past of being a crack whore to fit in." You bless me.
ReplyDelete