"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16.
The word “anatomy” comes from two Greek words meaning “up” and “cutting”. No I am not “cutting up” when I say that. We are familiar with the word through science studies in high school and college. It is a field that involves learning about the whole by "cutting up" and studying the parts. I am not aware of the use of the word in Biblical Greek. Our passage above is one that exalts God's intimate knowledge of us and I seem to see the word anatomy in that. Who could possibly know us better than our Creator? And God uses language throughout the Bible that involves various parts of the body. We all know of numerous passages that talk about the hand, the feet, the heart, the mouth or lips, the reins (kidneys), and then there are the inward parts: Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Psalm 51:6. Those words “inward parts” come from a Hebrew word that literally means “covered with fat”. Oh, that hurts! But seriously, it refers to the inner man, the soul and spirit of a person. I woke up with the thoughts of how God has worked in my life to move and motivate me in the inward man.
Most of us can look back at the people who have shaped our lives: our mothers and fathers, other family members, teachers from grade school and up, pastors and others. There are many that come to mind as I write these words. And tearfully, I regret having not expressed as I should my appreciation for these people. It is times like these that I take brief walks out of my selfishness. Under the light of God's all-seeing eye I think of those whom God has used in ways small and great to mold me into who I am today. It is God's mercy and grace that have shaped and re-shaped me through the years. If you don't like what you see in me now, wait a while, God has not finished with me yet.
The problem with this clay in the Hand of the Master is that it fights and resists and keeps spoiling the Master's art. He will ultimately win and I shall be like him. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2. Try as we may to reform this old nature, to dress it up, to make it acceptable to God we will not succeed. There is only one thing to do with it. It must be “reckoned” as dead. Romans 6:6 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” and “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11. Christ took our old nature to the cross with him and we died with him there. To “reckon” means to count it as being done. And we can reckon it so because it has been done! Christ has done all the work that is required. We must simply appropriate it by faith. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Now back to the anatomy concept. I am really a composite of all the things I have experienced through the people God has brought into my life. Each one has had an impact of some kind. And the influences remain to shape my life and ministry. As I dissect my life to analyze the parts I can see how God has used even the bad things to mold me. Thankfully there have been more good influences than bad and I am undeserving of such mercy and grace. The glory goes to our gracious and loving God who hasn't given up on me. And in fact, He has come to live in me. I hope you won't give up on me either. Thank you, LORD, for the people you have used in my life. Please pray for us. O Magnify the LORD with me!
The word “anatomy” comes from two Greek words meaning “up” and “cutting”. No I am not “cutting up” when I say that. We are familiar with the word through science studies in high school and college. It is a field that involves learning about the whole by "cutting up" and studying the parts. I am not aware of the use of the word in Biblical Greek. Our passage above is one that exalts God's intimate knowledge of us and I seem to see the word anatomy in that. Who could possibly know us better than our Creator? And God uses language throughout the Bible that involves various parts of the body. We all know of numerous passages that talk about the hand, the feet, the heart, the mouth or lips, the reins (kidneys), and then there are the inward parts: Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Psalm 51:6. Those words “inward parts” come from a Hebrew word that literally means “covered with fat”. Oh, that hurts! But seriously, it refers to the inner man, the soul and spirit of a person. I woke up with the thoughts of how God has worked in my life to move and motivate me in the inward man.
Most of us can look back at the people who have shaped our lives: our mothers and fathers, other family members, teachers from grade school and up, pastors and others. There are many that come to mind as I write these words. And tearfully, I regret having not expressed as I should my appreciation for these people. It is times like these that I take brief walks out of my selfishness. Under the light of God's all-seeing eye I think of those whom God has used in ways small and great to mold me into who I am today. It is God's mercy and grace that have shaped and re-shaped me through the years. If you don't like what you see in me now, wait a while, God has not finished with me yet.
The problem with this clay in the Hand of the Master is that it fights and resists and keeps spoiling the Master's art. He will ultimately win and I shall be like him. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2. Try as we may to reform this old nature, to dress it up, to make it acceptable to God we will not succeed. There is only one thing to do with it. It must be “reckoned” as dead. Romans 6:6 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” and “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11. Christ took our old nature to the cross with him and we died with him there. To “reckon” means to count it as being done. And we can reckon it so because it has been done! Christ has done all the work that is required. We must simply appropriate it by faith. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Now back to the anatomy concept. I am really a composite of all the things I have experienced through the people God has brought into my life. Each one has had an impact of some kind. And the influences remain to shape my life and ministry. As I dissect my life to analyze the parts I can see how God has used even the bad things to mold me. Thankfully there have been more good influences than bad and I am undeserving of such mercy and grace. The glory goes to our gracious and loving God who hasn't given up on me. And in fact, He has come to live in me. I hope you won't give up on me either. Thank you, LORD, for the people you have used in my life. Please pray for us. O Magnify the LORD with me!