In Christ - I am created in the image of God by Him

I am created in the image of God by Him...

Genesis 1:26,27  Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Psalms 119:73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn Your commands. 

Psalms 139:13-16 For You 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. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

September 15, 2010

Defined By God

Shari Braendel

"The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord."  Psalm 45:11 (NIV)

Devotion:

“One word. Flabbergasted.

“That was the emotion I had coursing through my body as I sat at the coffee shop discussing my weight issues with a friend.

“I told her I had recently cut out certain foods from my diet, but was continuing to maintain my "happy weight," that number the scale just seems extremely happy to faithfully report whether I have eaten healthy and exercised that week or not. We had a good laugh as she described how sometimes she locks her scale away so she's not tempted to jump on it every day just to find out if she's still her same "happy" self.

“As a result of this conversation I realized that if I am not careful I can easily allow the scale, or the mirror, to become a compass that shifts my focus and points me in the wrong direction. It seems illogical, yet at times I look to this digital device, or this earthly reflection to gauge my emotional status and essentially define me.

“The Bible tells us that the God of the universe is enthralled with our beauty. Seriously? Yes, indeed! He thinks we are amazing and wonderful. Unfortunately, more often than not, we look in the mirror and only see our flaws; hair that's just a mite too frizzy; a tummy that's a bit too fluffy; and thighs that have a few too many dimples on them. My friend Renee likes to call her cellulite ‘the fingerprints of God.’ One time I shared that with a group of women, and one of them said, ‘Well then He must have REALLY big hands!’

“So, what would life look like if we accepted God workmanship? Can you imagine how different we would feel about ourselves if we glanced in the mirror and told God ‘thank You for making me so wonderfully’? If you listen closely, I bet you would hear Him respond, ‘All beautiful, you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you’ (Song of Solomon 4:7, NIV).

“No matter your size or shape, the number on your clothes tag or your scale, you are beautiful! Let's embrace that we are fine just the way we are because if God says so, then it's true!

“Dear God, thank You for making me the way I am. Please help me to have more confidence. I will practice defining myself through Your eyes and not my own. I am grateful, and humbled to be Your beautiful daughter, and I can feel Your approving gaze upon me. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

This could not have been a more perfect time to be reminded of this myself.  My clothes are fitting just a bit snug – and I know I’ve put on some of the weight I lost two years ago.  The enemy would just LOVE to keep me fixated on that “failure” – but I KNOW the truth, and the truth is that my value has NOTHING to do with how my clothes fit – or a number on a scale.  My value – my worth – is ALL about who I am “in Christ” – and NO ONE – especially not the enemy of my soul – is going to steal that truth away from me! Now way – no how!  This hasn’t always been true – sadly, for too many years of my life I let the mirror tell me what I was worth – to the point where I didn’t want to look in a mirror – ever.  I’m SO glad God got me over that – and He can get YOU over that, too!  Emerse yourself in the Word – let the truth of who you are “in Him” define you – NOT how you feel – how much you weigh – or any other measure that the world would use to stamp their value on you!  Don’t let them hang a bargain basement tag on your soul, sweet Believer!  You are HIS – and HE’S in LOVE with YOU!  Just the way you are!  Hallelujah!  Sharon