When did I ever say I was unique?
God did.
Too late to edit my former post so there's this. Pasted with permission.
God made each of us unique masterpieces January 22,2010
By Billy Edwards
EDITOR'S NOTE: This column first appeared in The Gleaner on Jan. 5, 2008.
I can tell you something about yourself that even you may not realize. You may be surprised that I know this, but I do, and I want you to understand how I know it.
What do you think it is that I know about you? The answer: You are a masterpiece! When God made you, He really did break the mold! There is no other person who is exactly like you! You are an original!
Knowing that we are unique should humble us. It should make us realize just how much God loves us. We understand that no two people have the same fingerprint. That blows my mind just to consider that there is no other one in the human population who has the identical pattern that I have or you have.
It doesn't end there. We are told that one's DNA is strikingly different as well. No two people have the same identical DNA.
God wanted us to be uniquely different, and at the same time, have some of the same characteristics and traits of our parents. This is why when we were born, we may have ended up with our mother's eyes and our father's hair.
It goes even further as we grow older when we show some of the behavioral characteristics and mannerisms of our parents.
The Book of Psalms is one of my favorite sections of the Bible. This most expressive book, the majority of which was written by David, has some basic truths expressed in a poetic and graceful style.
In Psalm 139, he wrote, "I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well."
Notice the last phrase in this verse. I think this is worthy of our consideration, because this little phrase often gets passed over. There are so many people today who don't give God and our relationship with Him a second thought.
We take so many things for granted in this day and time, and we shouldn't, especially if we are Christians. With each passing day, we should gain a new appreciation for how He has blessed us.
God did not make us on a mass production line. He took great care in making us who we were meant to be. He had a purpose in mind for us even before we came into being.
He knew we would sin and be helpless to live up to His expectations. He knew we would fall. He knew we would fail, but he gave us a chance. Even though we have failed Him, He has provided us with hope and a way back to Him.
David wrote in Psalm 199:3, "Know ye that the Lord is God; it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people, and the sheep of his flock."
There are those who have this totally in reverse. They think that God should cater to our every need and provide us with all of our desires. But God has made us for His glory and to serve Him.
Paul reminds us in First Corinthians, "For you are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which belongs to God."
What he is saying here is that we should not abuse what God has given us. Oftentimes we do not use what God has given us in the right way. We mistreat our bodies by smoking, drinking, using drugs, overeating or other things, then we fail to fulfill our greatest potential in our work, morals and relationships with other people.
We know we should not do it, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves just how far the Lord has brought us and where He is leading us.
You may not feel like a masterpiece. There are times when we feel anything but! Living life here on this planet is not always easy. But the Lord wants us to know how much He loves us and that He is with us even in times of despair.
If you feel abandoned today, please know that God is there. He may be just waiting for you to call on Him.
Always feel free to pray to Him and ask Him to come into your life and bring new hope, purpose, meaning and direction. Express your love for Him and promise you will worship and serve Him faithfully.
Until next week ? God bless.