God Made This Exact You

He Made This Exact You

It’s not uncommon to hear people say “more of Him, and less of me.” This sounds spiritual at first, but it isn’t true. John the baptizer said that Jesus had to increase and John had to decrease, but this was in reference to John’s ministry and the ministry of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Here’s the good news: God made you on purpose. You are not a mistake.

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)
10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The Greek word translated “workmanship” here is “poema”, from which we get our word poem. It carries with it the idea of intentionality. In other words, He meant to make you. He did his best work when creating you. Some translations render “poema” “masterpiece”, and that translation has merit.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 2:5-6 (KJV)
5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:   

“Christians, as those who are raised up with Christ and set in the heavenly world, are God's poema”

TDNT – Volume VI.

Psalm 139:13-16 (NASB)
13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

Before you were born, He knew you. Before you were born, He knew all your days. Father values you very highly and you’re His workmanship—He custom-made you. Listen to Jesus’ words recorded in Luke 12:6-7 (KJV)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

It is important that we have a clear understanding of who we are and how important God thinks we are. Knowing this helps us see how we all fit into the body of Christ—the ecclesia; the church. It helps us see how God works through us, and that helps us rest in Him secure in the knowledge that we are not messing things up.

The enemy is very good at bringing our many faults to mind and lying to us about them. He accuses us of not doing enough, of not doing the right things, or doing the wrong things. If we listen to him, we will be tempted to think were underperforming, failing as a child of the King, and even messing up God’s plans. But he has been a liar from the beginning and lying to us is about all he can do. He has been defeated, so he’s all bark and no bite where we’re concerned.

Here is what Father says about us in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (KJV)
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Father created each of us with our individual personality, strengths, and proclivities. He made this exact you for this exact time in this exact place. No one else can manifest Jesus the way you can. You make Him real to others uniquely.

The enemy wants us to focus on our weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and failures, but even these serve God. He is sovereign and none of us is powerful enough to thwart His plans.

Here is how Paul put it:
1 Corinthians 1:26-27 (KJV)
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

And none of us stands alone.

1 Corinthians 12:19-25 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

God is all about relationship. We were created to live in community and to give and receive love. Ministry is a team sport. The body is made of different parts no part is good at everything—just try writing with your feet. Feet are not very good at writing.

Carrying on in 1 Corinthians 12
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

It is good to have preachers and teachers who edify, encourage, and equip us, but it is important that we not put our faith in them. Pastors, preachers, and teachers are no more godly, no more loved, no closer to God, than anyone in the body of Christ. We put our faith in Jesus alone, not in anyone in the body, no matter what part they are.

Now verse 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Paul makes the same point in Romans 12:15 (KJV)
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Carrying on in 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Do you see it? Inside you is the indestructible life of the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, very God Himself. You are the temple in which God lives.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (KJV)
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

We are a spirit, and we live in our body.
God is a Spirit, and He lives in his body.

Just as you are manifested (seen and experienced) through your body, so Jesus is manifested (seen, and experienced) through His body—the ecclesia—the assembly of saints, the church.

And that body is you.

We are the way people see Jesus in this world. But, as grace would have it, there is no pressure in that because He created us exactly as we are so that our manifestation of Him would be unique.

Relax, be yourself, and watch what God does through you.