Last Wednesday evening I was in Bible study at God’s Way Church, and we’re studying First Corinthians. During our study, we talked about humility, and I mentioned that I recalled a passaged regarding being “less than nothing.” I didn’t recall the context or exactly where it was with the exception that it was in the Old Testament. I thought it was in the Book of Job, but afterwards, I found that I was mistaken, and that I also didn’t remember the context correctly. But I found the verse, and the proper context, and what that means for us as individuals. Here’s that passage from Isaiah 40 verse 17: The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. In verse 15, Isaiah writes that the nations are nothing more than a drop in the bucket and they are as a speck of sand on the scale. How does that make you feel in comparison to a nation or the entire world? God regards the nations as less than nothing, and as individuals, do we exalt ourselves thinking that we have great personal worth? But with all that, consider this. God’s love for us, individually, is so great, so immense that for his good pleasure, he created us for his glory, and even though we all have sinned and fall short of his glory, he still loved us so much that he sent his one and only son to be our sacrifice, taking on the sin of every human being who has ever lived and those yet unborn to share in that glory to “tabernacle” with him for all eternity. Not only this, but I see once again, the falsehood of collective salvation. I see once again that God regards the individual of more value and importance, even above nations. God has given us the ability, and do I dare say the right of self-determination for our lives. We make our own choices without the nudging or pushing or shoving of society or government. We live under the rule of his Kingdom. Where there is a conflict between the earthly realm, and his kingdom, if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, we must determine to obey him rather than man. But again, it’s our choice. When Jesus was put to a test by the religious leaders, they asked him if it were lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. He asked to be shown a coin and asked as to whose likeness and inscription was on the coin, and they answered that it was Caesar’s. Jesus’ response was to give to Caesar’s what is his, and to God that which is God’s. He makes a distinction. What I also see from this encounter is that the authority of man was never meant to usurp the authority of God. But there will be those humans who will attempt to rule over and control others because they believe know better, that they are somehow wiser, and more capable of managing the affairs of others rather than the individual. This is why God advised Israel not have a king to rule over them because he was to be their king. This is to show just important and valuable the individual is to God. Again, even he says that nations are less than nothing, yet he desires fellowship with each one of us individually. He says that we are of more value than sparrows. He tells us that the number of hairs on our head is known. Even though I may lose a few hairs here and there, he’s aware of that, and he knows how many I’ve actually lost. He knows my thoughts, and that’s scary at times, he knows me better than I know myself. He knows the same about all of us, and that can be comforting or sometimes terrifying. Yet he loves us and he wants us, if we’re in him, to come boldly to the throne of grace in the time of need. I will conclude with a passage from Ephesians Chapter one that expresses just how much this God, the Creator of the universe loves and cares for us. Eph 1:5-12 5 He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 which he lavished upon us. 9 For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. RSV
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 17:49:01 +0000
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