There are some very talented and creative designers in this world but to me – God is the most creative and talented designer.
In Genesis chapter 1 we read about God, the Creator, creating the heavens, creating the earth, creating all kinds of living creatures and lastly, creating male and female.
But God’s design and plan didn’t stop there. In Matthew chapter 1, and Luke the first two chapters, we read of God sending an angel to Mary and telling her she will conceive and give birth to a son and to call His name JESUS….for He will be the Savior of the world – saving people from their sins.
God has designed a pathway of forgiveness and eternal life, which is Salvation through Jesus Christ – Salvation that is freely given to us and not earned. It is God’s design that we would have a Savior…Jesus….
Along with Salvation, God has designed a pathway of Peace. We have:
- Peace with God. Personal peace. We are no longer fighting against God because now we have a right relationship with Him.
- Peace of God. This kind of peace will do three things:
- Guard your heart.
- Guard your mind and
- Keep, watch over and protect our heart and our mind when we put our live into His hands.
This peace is available to us on a daily basis when we put our life and our circumstances in His hands. Philippians 4:7 says: and the peace of God, which surpasses (goes beyond the limit), of all understanding (all of our capacity to understand), will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The peace of God is our guardian. When I visualize this verse, I see myself in the protective care of someone who has my best interest at heart.
It is God’s design for us to have Peace…..and this Peace is freely given to those who believe.
God has designed for us to also have Hope. Webster’s dictionary defines Hope as “a feeling that what is wanted will happen, a desire accompanied by anticipation or expectation.” I think all of us at sometime have had this level of hope. I have – when it came to my girls coming home for breaks from college. I anticipated seeing them again – could hardly wait for their arrival. Although, Kelly’s sophomore year of college she sort of burst my bubble by saying “mom, you need to get a life.” I still anticipated her coming home.
I think a Christian definition of this might be: an eager anticipation of God’s promises being fulfilled – knowing we are not going to be stuck in this forever.
A few years back, I had a major vertigo attack – nausea, dizziness, ringing in my ears and a feeling I was going to pass out – which then escalated into anxiety attacks. The vertigo did go away eventually but the anxiety attacks remained. I was afraid to drive or go out anywhere for fear that this attack might happen again. The anxiety attacks went on for almost three months.
I remember being at my mom’s house when I had one of my worst anxiety attacks. Bruce was at camp with Kelly and so Haylee and I were going to stay at my mom and dad’s. My parents prayed over me and played soft worship music to calm my anxiety. They both would come into the room where I was and read Psalms to me. My feeling was of being trapped, suffocating, couldn’t get out. If you have never had panic attacks, this probably seems very foreign to you. I remember a verse my mom read from Psalm 38:15 where David was crying out for help “for I hope in You, O Lord, You will answer, O Lord, my God.”
Psalm 42:11 David was encouraging himself to hope: “why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” I was hanging onto these verses – knowing that I was going to see the other side of this….having great Hope!
I was eagerly anticipating God bringing a positive outcome. I had a knowing that I was not going to be stuck in this forever….that I would see God’s promise fulfilled.
Maybe you are waiting or hoping in God that He will bring some good, some direction, some conclusions, some strength or maybe you are waiting and anticipating for a positive outcome. I want to encourage you to remember the words of David and say “For I hope in You, O Lord, You will answer, O Lord my God.” I’m not going to be stuck in this forever.
God has given us Hope. Hope in this life and Hope of eternal life to come.
Love has also been designed for us by our great and excellent designer. He gives us His Love.
God’s character is Love. He cannot be anything else. He cannot go against who He is. I John 4:16 clearly states that God is Love.And because of that Love, Hebrews 13:5 says “I will never under any condition or circumstance desert you, nor will I ever at any time forsake you.”
That is God’s promise. We can depend on it.
God also has given us the need to love and be loved.
I remember when Haylee was just a little one, maybe five at the time, and we were training her to stay in her room at night after we put her to bed. This particular night, Bruce was downstairs and I had already gone to bed. Haylee had been placed in her bed. We had gone through all the nighttime rituals and she was told not to come out of her room or downstairs but to remain in bed…..this was sleep time. Minutes later, I heard footsteps on her wood floor, but Haylee did not come out of her room. She sat just at the edge of the carpet leading into the hallway. I heard whimpering from the doorway, and of course, my heart started to melt. All of a sudden I heard this faint cry that said “won’t somebody please love me?” Well, you can image my response…YES! I flung my covers back, reached her doorway and knelt beside her holding my precious child and reassuring her she was loved.
I see God responding that way to us when we cry out for Love. He has the greatest capacity to love because that’s who He is. People will fail and disappoint us, but God’s love will never fail.
He has given us Salvation, Hope, Peace and Love.
Whatever God designs, it won’t fade, fray, shrink or fall apart because what He makes is made to last forever.
By Sharon Lobbs Garner