Seeing this pile of dirt, it becomes so clear that we can’t take credit for anything.
You and I were nothing until God breathed His life into us.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust
of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life: and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:7
There is no accomplishment or talent or wisdom that we can take the glory for.
If we ever doubt that, we can picture that pile of dust and ask ourselves
if what we are glorying in is somewhere in that pile.
The answer will always be no.
Nothing that we are today was there before God gave us life.
And nothing we are today was created by you or me.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me:
Psalm 100:3a, Psalm 119:73a
Every skill, talent, and ability is created by the Maker of all things.
They were all granted by His hand. They are reflections of His ability.
We can never stand next to Almighty God and take glory for anything. (Isaiah 42:8)
God will not share His glory.
And rightly so!
But what mercy and longsuffering He exhibits as we
constantly try to take credit for His work!
Perhaps it sounds like I am saying we are nothing, having no value or purpose.
On the contrary!
You and I are not just piles of dirt with
added ingredients, rather we are creations
of tremendous value to the Creator.
Our lives are evidence that from the moment He created us, His hand has been upon
us, growing us into individuals completely unique from each other.
He lets us enjoy the talents and abilities that He pours into us,
to equip us for His work. What a loving hand.
It must be one of His greatest pleasures to watch us grow, develop, and flourish as He
trusts us with the stewardship of what He has given us.
We don’t have to be distraught about not being self-made. (John 5:30)
It was never God’s intention for us to glory in ourselves. (Psalm 115:1)
He deserves all the glory for everything we are.
Who else is worthy?
Even Jesus, the King of Kings, gives God all the glory.
The more we see and understand who we are, the clay, the creation,
the more we will be able to see who He is, the potter, the Creator.
The more we give the Rightful Owner the glory for our gifts,
The more He will trust us to do His work.
The most substantial proof of how
God values this pile of dirt made beautiful,
is how He forfeited the companionship
of His beloved Son Jesus, finding us
so precious that He allowed Him
to suffer death for our redemption!
Let’s praise Him and rejoice that He gave us His breath,
died for us, and forever lives for us and sustains us.
Friends, let’s keep
giving Him all the credit!
I am the LORD: that is my name:
and my glory will I not give to another,
Isaiah 42:8a
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
but unto thy name give glory,
for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
Psalm 115:1
For by him were all things created…
He is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Colossians 1:16a, 17
But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay,
and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Isaiah 64:8
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,
how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works;
Psalm 139:14