As we continue our reflections on Psalm 139, we move on from the awareness that God is always with us to the understanding that you, like every other human being, are made in the image of God.
Let's read on …
Vs.13-15. Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
You formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God — you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration —what a creation!
Your Identity – A Child of God
We all long for a sense of identity and significance. We often search for these things through our achievements, through acquiring material possessions, or through seeking forms of fame or popularity. Sadly, most of these pursuits end up being fleeting when it comes to a lasting sense of personal value. They so easily fade and leave us feeling empty on the inside.
The good news is that we can have a lasting sense of identity through the realisation that we are a unique creation of God – formed by his hand even before we were born. Our true value is in who we ARE not what we DO.
Imagine if we could live every day, not only with a constant awareness of God's presence but with a strong belief that we are valuable, precious, unique and special – because we have been created by God. What a difference that would make!
And then imagine if we treated every other human being the same way – realising they too are crafted in God's image and are greatly valued by God. It's true, you have never locked eyes with anyone who is not deeply loved by God.
Later in the Psalm, we read …
Vs. 17-18. Your thoughts — how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them —
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
How amazing is that! YOU are the Object of God's Love and he thinks about you all the time. In fact, the quantity of his thoughts about you are uncountable, like the sand of the sea.
No wonder Brennan Manning, author of the best-selling book Ragamuffin Gospel, said:
“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.”
“My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.”
Today, I pray that God's Spirit would keep you constantly aware that God is with you AND that His orientation towards you is one of love and goodwill. That's really good news!