God has created everyone and everything for a purpose which can not be fulfilled by any other. Just like the taste of a grape or a mango can never be found in any other fruit, the traits specific to any individual are put in him by God as a special package, relevant only for him. He has done this to enable each one of us to fulfil the assigned role and be useful for others.
The true identity and its meaning for a believer – Standing before the Burning Bush, Moses wanted to know God’s name to tell the Israelites in Egypt as an authentic proof of having been sent by God. God revealed His name as ‘I AM WHO I AM’, Which in Hebrew is ‘Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh’, disclosing His name which cannot be pronounced (Exodus 3:14). With this He was told by God about His Sovereign or self-existing state, perfect and complete in every sense, to whom nothing can be added by anyone. Thus, He is unchanging and consistent in all His works. He expressed His love in creation and not because of any need did He create it all.
Heaven was created first with angels in it to serve the Lord God and they were filled with mighty power with three main groups. Lucifer was equipped with every skill to worship God with a third of the angels. Gabriel’s task is to receive and convey God’s Word to others and Michael to lead in prayer and is a warrior, created with anticipation to face the forces opposed to God’s ways. In all of creation the first sin was unbelief in God and His love and fairness towards all of His creation. Losing faith in God to give him what he deserved for his skills, Lucifer decided to lift himself high (Isiah 14:13-15). In five statements, he clears his intentions; first, I will ascend into heaven; second, I will exalt my throne (given to a servant of God) above the stars of God (stars being the other angels). Third, I will also sit on the mount of the congregation; Fourth, I will ascend above the clouds of the sky; and finally, I will be like the Most-High; to be like God, equipped with all power and authority. Unbelief leads further to the sin of pride and fall.
After His work of creation on the earth, ‘God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good’ (Genesis 1:31). Like in heaven, on earth also a responsibility was given to Adam ‘fill the earth and subdue it’ (Genesis 1:28). Prophet Ezekiel was shown a valley full of dry bones and at God’s command through the Prophet, the bones were covered with flesh and skin (Ezekiel 37:1-10). God then commanded him to, ‘say to the breath, ‘Thus says the LORD God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live’. Breath came into them and they became alive. However, at the time of creation of Adam, God formed the shape of man with the dust of the ground and to this He breathed ‘the breath of life’ (Genesis 2:7). He could have commanded and like the rest of the creation, Adam would have come into being. But God desired to put a part of Himself, His glory, into man, for him to be in His image and likeness.
With the sin of disobedience, this glory was covered but restored back through forgiveness of sins by the sacrifice of the Son of God. To further confirm this, a believer is blessed with the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are to ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts’ (Romans 13:14). From inside and outside we are strengthened in this manner.
Moses was commanded by the Lord God to make the Ark of acacia wood of a given specific size and overlay it ‘with pure gold, inside and outside’ (Exodus 25:10-11). Inside the Ark were placed specific things only; Two Tablets of Stone with the Ten Commandments; as per legend, the broken pieces of the original Tablets were also placed, that ‘were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets’ (Exodus 32:15-16), the pot of Manna and Aaron’s rod that budded. In a similar manner a believer is covered by the ways and character of Lord Jesus on the outside, with the Holy Spirit on the inside and the Word of God is in our hearts and minds, leading our souls on the paths of righteousness. The Ark representing God’s glory of His presence was in the Most Holy place in the Temple. Even the broken pieces of Tablets having God’s writing were precious, just like mankind in his broken evil nature is for God to redeem us.
The Saviour Lord by His sacrifice on the cross has transformed all believers into ‘a chosen generation, (chosen personally by Him), a royal priesthood (kings and priests, a rare honour to exercise dominion in His name and be in His presence to worship Him), a holy nation (cleansed with His blood and sanctified for His kingdom), His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light’ (1Peter 2:9). This blessed state of a believer and the task of witnessing for Him is clear and we do it in the state and place we are in, not waiting for good times to come.
Hurdles to our growth – Lord Jesus as God could not be the Redeemer and had to ‘empty Himself of the glory of God, the Son’, in heaven, to become Man (Philippians 2:7). The Creator became dependent on His created beings for care and protection. His earthly parents being devoted Jews travelled and took Him to Jerusalem for the yearly festivals, to worship God. During one such visit for the festival of Passover, when He was twelve years old, they returned after the ceremonies to Nazareth. Since the women and men travelled separately in groups in the same column, both Mary, His mother and Joseph presumed Him to be in the column. Only at night halt, when the families got together, could they learn of His absence (Luke 2:45-49). They returned to Jerusalem and searched for Him everywhere and after three days they found Him in the Temple, ‘sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to and asking them questions’. On being asked by His parents about His stay, His simple answer was, ‘Did you not know that I MUST BE about My Father’s business?’ Since we are blessed to be the children of God, we also MUST BE about our Father’s business here on earth.
In the parable, the noble man went to receive his kingdom and gave one mina to each of his ten servants to trade with. This was equal opportunity given to everyone to obtain the expected results of gain. Every believer on earth has been given many facilities, to use, improve and recognise the hand of God as Provider. However, ‘we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works’ (Ephesians 2:10). He has chosen us, redeemed us and set us free from the bondage of sin and the devil and the Holy Spirit dwells in us to guide and lead us to do His will. The nobleman chose the ten servants to give them a mina while some others may have been left out. Apostle Paul cautioned Titus, the Pastor at the island of Crete, that all ‘who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works’ (Titus 3:8 & 14). But he was also warned to continue in good works, ‘to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful’.
The servant who wrapped the mina in a cloth, made no effort and lost that but the one who had earned ten minas was given more. Though he lost the opportunity to serve the Lord for more, he escaped punishment and the nobleman, instead, focussed on the punishment for his enemies. Apostle Paul remained committed to serve the Lord to the end and said, ‘Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him’, doing His will and works (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Our works will be judged by fire and those of eternal value will escape but the earthly, ‘of wood, hay or straw’ will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Some will be rewarded but others will suffer loss, though all will be saved.
However, in the other Parable Lord Jesus taught about the master travelling to a far country and the servants were given a much bigger amount (Matthew 25:14-30). He gave ‘to each according to his ability’ and accountability is also stringent. One was given five talents, to another two and to another one to use for the profit of the master. The first two doubled what was given to them and each of them was termed ‘good and faithful servant’. The reward for both was the same, ‘enter into the joy of your lord’. The one who was the least in his ability, used his physical strength rather than the wisdom and knowledge, ‘went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money’ out of fear of losing it. In like manner most of us continue to work hard with no fruitful results and thus earn nothing. In the parable of the minas, the lazy servant did nothing but wrapped it in a cloth and kept it. We also tend to carry on with our own works that have no eternal value.
The responsibility was bigger in the second case, the value of a talent being much more than a mina, like one thousand to one lakh or even more. The second unprofitable servant not only lost what was given but cast ‘into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’. In our life we desire, pray for and seek much more than others, wealth, responsibilities and blessings without realising the added accountability of a higher order. When we earnestly step forward in commitment to serve God’s purpose, fullness of the Holy Spirit in us strengthens and guides us.
Finding the right balance in life – The creation of man by God is ‘in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them’ (Genesis 1:27&32). Starting with the singular person ‘him’, the final result is ‘them’. The first human was a man and a woman in one, and in this oneness of two opposites, was reflected God’s image and likeness. God examined all that He had created and found it to be ‘very good’. God gave the responsibility to man to care for and upkeep of the Garden of Eden. But then He found a flaw in His work to say, ‘it is not good for man to be alone’, for all animals and birds were two separate sexes (Genesis 2:18). The two were separated and God provided for Adam ‘a helper suitable to him’. ‘After creating mankind, God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion’ (Genesis 1:28). Being fruitful is not only about having children but in sharing and facing all the challenges of life together and thus being whole.
The curse on the woman, ‘he will rule over you’ is not the ideal state (Genesis 3:16). Lord Jesus became a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). On the other side of the cross, a believer is to live with understanding with his wife, ‘as being joint heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered’ (1 Peter 3:7). After the first part of the command is fulfilled in this manner, the second part subdue and dominate can be done together, both using each other’s strengths and helping in overcoming the weaknesses (Genesis 1:28). When we give more attention to the one on the pretext of doing the second better, we falter. As Apostle Peter has taught, God turns His face from us for violating His command.
Lord Jesus declared, ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner’ (John 5:19). He did not confess His weakness but His strength in exact obedience to the way of the Father in heaven. Apostle Paul identified the blessed state of the Israelites, ‘All were baptised into Moses in the cloud and the sea’ (1 Corinthians 10:2). The dividing of the Red Sea, as per Hebrew, is to cut into two pieces, as used by Solomon in dealing with identifying the real mother of the child to cut the child into pieces (1 Kings 3:25). The same word is used when Abraham cut into two portions the animal sacrifices for the covenant (Genesis 15:10-17). The miracle at the Red Sea, covenant with Abraham and believer’s baptism, all point to a promise of God made and fulfilled. Like the Jewish people we also become His chosen and blessed people. The Egyptian army was destroyed in the sea and their hold over the Israelites was broken.
When we emerge out of the water at baptism, the hold of evil forces is broken and we have the Holy Spirit to exercise authority over them (Luke 10:19). God broke the chains of slavery of Egypt but the Israelites could not break free from within their hearts, and suffered. We desire to serve the Lord but are held back by the past. We see in many fairs and exhibitions, a laser beam being used to create various images in the sky. In like manner, the devil continues to create an image of his control over our minds and we lose the image of God in us. First, we must break free from this inner image to really be able to do what we must. And this we can do only by drawing close to God and living a blessed life.
God has blessed us in every aspect of life but we, stuck in the darkness of our sinful nature within, are unable to do what we ought to do. It is necessary for us to first understand our true identity in the Lord and then walk in all His ways and do His will in His power. We are made free from the clutches of sin and the devil and are blessed to walk in His ways under His guidance. Only in this manner can we fulfil what we ought to do!
