Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3)
It is noted by Jewish commentators that the Hebrew spelling of the phrase, “it is He who has made us and not we ourselves,” could be rendered “it is He who has made us and we are His.” Though the difference is notable it doesn’t necessarily alter the intent of the psalmist’s words: we didn’t create ourselves, God did. Consequently, we don’t belong to ourselves, we belong to Him. Being that we are His creation, we are completely dependent upon Him in every sense of the word.
As His people and the sheep of His pasture, we recognize His role and Creator and our role as His servants. This is in sharp contrast to the world’s view. From antiquity, there have been those who have arrogantly defied the sovereignty of the Creator. Men such as the Pharaoh who said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). Still another Pharaoh who claimed the Nile to be his own saying, “I have made it for myself” (Ezekiel 29:3). In today’s world, that same type of arrogance is exhibited by those who laud rebellion with such phrases as “My body, my choice.” We who serve Him know this is a lie fabricated by proud and belligerent hearts.
Mankind is not the result of some cosmic accident and therefore is not authorized to be the final arbiter on what is right and wrong nor on our life’s purpose. To the contrary, we were made in the image and likeness of our Creator and are, as David said, fearfully and wonderfully made for a Divine purpose (Psalm 139:14). We have not created our own souls; God breathed the breath of life into us all. Moreover, those of us who have become a new creation should be keenly aware of the fact that we were bought with a price. As Paul said, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? … Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
As a believer, our life is not one of self determination but one that should demonstrate our determination to die to self — “it is He who has made us and we are His.” Therefore, we should aspire to fulfill the words of Paul when he said, “It is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Amen.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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