Devotional - 98-07-29 - Why Me?

Genesis 1:27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female, He created them.

"So, I guess my question is one of "why me?" Don't you ever wonder that, Tim? Don't you ever wonder why God chose you and not the person next door? I'm not special.....to be honest, even though I BELIEVE myself to be a child of God, I STILL make lots of mistakes, and I STILL stumble a lot more often than I should."

"Why me?" I have been thinking a lot about this. I want a snappy answer, but none exists, I am convinced. My best answer as to why Jesus made atonement on the cross for my sins and now my sins are forgiven, paid in full, erased forever, is that it pleased God to do so.

But there is another side of the why me question. I will state it this way; what a tragedy it is that not all are saved. We all, male and female, as the above verse says, are created in the image of God (This makes us all special). How sad that sin afflicts this image as it does and what a blessing it is that the work of Christ restores us both to fellowship with Him and also restores the image of God in us.

Being formed in the image of God does not mean we look like God. God is Spirit (John 4:24). I will just touch on one aspect of this and try to apply it.

When we read Genesis chapter 1, we notice a pattern. Something like this, "God said....it was...God saw that it was good." However on the sixth day, the creation of man, the pattern is changed. It is not "God said", but rather, "Let us make". There appears to be both deliberation and preparation. It is as if this work, of creating man, was of a greater importance.

This "Let us" might be puzzling to some, but this only lends support to the existence of and role of the Trinity in creation. As the Christian faith affirms, there is one God, three persons. This is further backed up by the use here of the Hebrew word Elohim.

I have been aiming at one thing here, that being in the image of God makes every man, woman and child special. This is ultimately why, I think, murder and self-murder (suicide) are so tragic, it is not because it ends a life, that would have happened sometime anyway, but rather the tragedy is that it kills the image of God in which that person was created.

We are special and given a special place upon this earth. Why is anyone saved or not saved? Why does God reveal Himself to some and not to others? These are ultimate questions that I think are unanswerable until we reach glory. I have concluded that God created this world, He upholds and sustains it, and He may order and structure it as He pleases. I know also that He created me in His image and I am thankful that I am part of His plan and I continue to look for ways to share the good news of mercy in Christ.

"I would sooner bring one sinner to Jesus Christ than unpick all the mysteries of the divine Word." C. H. Spurgeon

Soli Deo Gloria,
Tim