Calvary painted love's picture for me.

My friend , robot2 asked this question below, and I have posted the answer I gave her below it, as I was impressed with the sermon I heard today, and wished to share it with my friends in my blog.

 

Robot's question:

 

At times I am overwhelmed with creation and God and the plans he has for each of our lives....

I wonder ...................Did he really know us while we were being formed in our mother's wombs?

 

Did he know all of the things my heart and mind would feel while I still lived in the womb? Did he know "me" in total even then...He judges our hearts...Mine is an open book.. 

 I wonder what makes one soul attracted to goodness and beauty as a moth is attracted to light?

 

What makes one soul seek to do good and another seek evil?  Environment?  Nurture?  Experience? Karma? I wish I knew the answers...I believe we are born that way.

 

This morning I am in awe of God and his plans and his immense gifts....

 

MY REPLY 

It is so amazing that the Lord confirms his heart to us thru two or three witnesses.  My husband did  a very good job of preaching today, and he talked about words, starting off with the word of God, and then how the spoken word can be for good or for detriment of ourselves and others.

 

Then he spoke about an english class he had in South Africa, with a really severe, strict teacher, and how he had to know ten idioms a week, and their meanings, or he  would be trotted to the office for "three of the best" with a cane on hisbottom .  And needless to say, he never got caned and knows idioms very well now. 

 

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"--  he said that we may be small but with "attitude" and the knowledge that we have a great big God to fight for us, takes us a long way in life, even if we do not come across as the hugest and toughest to look at.  He talked also about loving jack russle dogs, because of that spunk in them.

 

And he told of other idioms, and their meanings, tying them up with words, but the last one was, "you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear".  He said that this is a man made idiom that people use when looking upon someone who has come from a bleak background and who have lived a certain life....to say that they could never change, even tho they may be dollied up to look like something....like in "My fair Lady". 

 

And, birdie, this is where what you said came into play.  He said, that if you have ever had a psych class, the question always comes up, concerning what shapes us.  Is it our environment ? Is it our genetics, or is it a bit of both? 

 

Yes, Birdie, if the Lord, in his word says that he knew you from in your mother's womb, he means it.  He did not only know you , but formed you for his purpose and with his own will in mind, right there, from the start.  And, he allowed your genetics, and the environment you had to endure, or enjoy, to shape who you are today.  Unfortunately, there is nothing that happens by chance.  He allows certain things, even our choices, to shape who we will ultimately become. 

 

My husband pointed to a spanish couple who have been having a struggle in their relationship.  The man was involved in a life of crime and never held a job, becasue it was so much easiere to get quick money for selling drugs, and was in and out of jails.  Yet, he has come to Christ and his life  has turned around.  Yes, they have to struggle, cause the money he makes from a fixed income is not always as much as they made before, but they have peace and the knowledge that they are in the will of God. 

 

Then he, my husband, pointed out, that he knows someone who can and does change a leopard's spots, who does make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and the quality is even better because of the refining fire that the poor sow has had to go to to sacrifice his ear for this cause.  Christ reforms, remolds, remakes, and yes, birdie, does instil in you the love for all the beatiful and good things in the world.  He knows the longings of your heart, and knows the heartache you have been thru.  But he also knows, that if you show patient trust and faith in him, which is as the tiniest grain, that of a mustard seed, that he will come thru for you.  But of course, it will be in His time...waiting  for his work to be perfect in you.

 

I know this has repreached a whole sermon, but I loved it and thought it was relevent to your question here, my friend.  I am praying for you.