Designer and Designed – Part 1
I WANT you to pay particular attention to the consideration that follows this two part posting – “Designer and Designed.” I never really weary of this topic, because it is so critical for spiritual growth. It never fails that when I have a discussion with someone going through a difficultly, whether in counseling or brotherly encouragement, when I sense confusion or disheartened dismay, two verses are invariably brought to the fore, 1Cor. 10:13 and Rom. 8:29. The first is a reminder that the trials we go through are common to all. This thought is not often appreciated or welcomed depending on the depths of ones despair at the moment. The second verse – Rom. 8:29 – is usually offered up in the form of a question: Do you know what God is doing to you; do you know what His primary purpose is regarding you in this and all matters in His dealings with you? It is here that I usually get a blank stare. If they are astute and relatively on their game, they might respond to that question by quoting the answer to Westminster Shorter Catechism Question #1, the “Chief in of Man is to glorify God and ….” That response will often illicit a “thumbs-up” from me followed with a – “Well yes, but that doesn’t really answer my question regarding you specifically?”
A FAVORITE commentator of mine often refers to looking at things from the macro and the micro, the big picture or broad approach to a question – the macro, verses the narrow or specific view – the micro. When we say “The Chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever” we need to look at both. There is a broad scope to humanities collective purpose in the WSC’s first question, but just how do you – the individual – glorify and enjoy him forever? What pleases Him the most, what does He desire to effect in you at this very moment and every moment of every day to that end? – that is my question. …It is at this point I usually open the holy text to Roman 8:29, turning it round, pushing the open text forward to be read and pondered by my counselee.
AFTER a moment for consideration, I ask again, so do you know what God is doing to you; do you know what His primary purpose is regarding you in this and all matters in His dealings with you in the path to glorifying Him? Hopefully after a beat or two, the little light comes on and I’ll hear the response, “Conforming me to the image of His Son?” Yes! The Father loves His son so much and is so pleased with him, that he wants the world – His Kingdom – filled with children just like him. We were made in the image of God, fell into sin, and are being remade into the image of Christ in the redemptive process. It is here I could take them to several other scriptures to nail this point, but Romans 8:29 in context is so very clear. Now comes the next question, how does he go about doing this in you?
ONE of my favorite illustrations is the story told of the artist Michael Angelo being asked by an admiring observer at the moment that his statue of David was unveiled, How were you able to create such a marvelous and beautiful piece of sculptured artistry? As the story goes, his response was, “Quite simple, I took the piece of marble and simply removed what didn’t belong there!” We might chuckle at the humor of that comment, knowing that as simple as that might “appear” to be, it is really not all that easy a task, and truly requires a master craftsman to make something of beauty from a rough cut stone. And yet, that is exactly what has happened and what is happening to us in the hands of The Master Craftsman in bringing us into conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29). He is going through the process of removing everything that doesn’t belong there, that Christ within might shine through (Col. 1:27).
I’M going to leave this thought here, pick it up and conclude it in Part 2, leaving you with a third verse to ponder in the meantime:
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials…” – James 1:2
In the wondrous blessings of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa 30:15 & Job 2:10
