Oh my, how blessed we are to be His children!

Oh my, how blessed we are to be His children! By Dan Madison

Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

One of the stunning realities of the Christian life is that, in a world where everything is in some state of decay, God’s mercies, for His children, never grow old; nor do they change.  

• They never run out
• They are never ill-timed
• They never dry up
• They never grow weak
• The never grow weary
• They never fail to meet our needs
• They never disappoint
• They never, ever fail

They are truly new every morning. 

With each passing year, I am ever more reminded of this fact!  As I look back on the journey where God has taken me, I marvel with wonderment as to how I got here! What a merciful and caring God we have. Why would he choose me? Only because of His love and mercy. 

Oh my, how blessed we are to be His children!

During these difficult times, we really need to focus on that fact. There are many hardships, both seen and unseen, coupled with uncertainty and anxiety in our church family.  How important to remember that God’s mercies are new every morning. He cares for each of us. 

A common tactic of the evil one is to cause us to doubt, to question our relationship with our Lord, cause us to wonder what we are really doing. We need to know that even during these times of the virus, these times of hardship and questioning, that God’s mercies never fail and are not diminished. Our God loves and cares about us!

Ephesians 2:10 tells us: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” The Greek word for “workmanship” is “poiema” from which we get our English word “poem.” Just think, we are His workmanship, his “poem.” A poem created by an Artist! We are Jesus’ masterpiece!

Timothy Keller asks: 

“Do you know what it means that you are God’s Workmanship? What is art? Art is beautiful, art is valuable, and art is an expression of the inner being of the maker, of the artist. Imagine what that means. You’re beautiful, you’re valuable, and you’re an expression of the very inner being of The Artist, the divine Artist, God Himself. When Jesus gave Himself on the Cross, He didn’t say, ‘I’m going to die just so you know I love you.’ He said, ‘I’m going to die, I’m going to bleed, for your splendor. I’m going to recreate you into something beautiful. I will turn you into something splendid, magnificent. I’m the Artist, you’re the canvas. I’m the Sculptor you’re the marble. You don’t look like much there in the quarry, but I can see. Oh, I can see.’”

Jesus is an Artist and you are His crowning achievement; His masterpiece. Whenever the evil one tries to confuse you with doubts, apprehension, and confusion, just remember you are God’s poem!

Not only are you His workmanship, but you also have purpose. Don’t miss this. Ephesians 2:10b tells us that “we were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”  

The unbeliever walks “according to the drumbeat of the world.” We, as believers walk “in good works that God has prepared for him.” This is an amazing statement.  Scripture reflects that God has a plan for our lives and we should walk in His will and fulfill His plan, even during times of “house arrest” and virus. 

The plan that God has set before each of us is a gracious plan of a loving Father who wants the very best for us. Even though it seems hard at the time, it is the right plan. So I look back again on my journey and have nothing but praise and thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father, even for the hard times. 

Psalm 37:23-24 seems so appropriate: 

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD. 

And He delights in his way. 

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, 

because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.”

We discover God’s exciting will for our lives as the Spirit reveals it to us from the Word. Take comfort and be encouraged! Our God is in control and He cares for each of us. 

A few verses from 1 Corinthians should encourage us all:  

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

It is my prayer that each of us will be encouraged to draw nearer to our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Remember how much he cares for you!

(Dan and his wife of 60 years, Diane, have been a part of SBC for 6 months, having joined along with daughter and son-in-law Lisa and Darrin Cline. Dan met his bride in East Africa and has stories to tell! He serves as a volunteer on the board with Capitol Ministries which he helped found twenty years ago.)

1. Keller, Timothy, “Believers Are God’s Masterpiece. His Poiema” www.preceptaustin.org, 2016