But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. Isaiah 43:1
In the past decades, the ancestry search business has experienced exponential growth. Many people have contacted those companies to learn about their heritage. Unfortunately, I do not know much about my ancestry. I do not know anything about my grandparents. I will never know which African country or tribe my ancestors originated from. However, I do know that I belong to God.
It is God who created us all. In Genesis 5:2, we read, “He {God} created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.” Whereas human beings can create robots or cyborgs, only God can create human beings.
Almighty God formed us. The psalmist says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14). In Isaiah 44:24, we read, “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.”
The point here is that we belong to God. “It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3). Therefore, we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). God invites us to come to him as often as we need, and for every need that we have, according to Matthew 11:28.
Whether we know our ancestry or not, we belong to God. That means we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). We do not have to live in fear, “though the earth gives way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:2). For, we live by faith in our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Because we belong to God, we can expect the favor of God and trust in his providential care. We are not left to the whims of time and the vicissitudes of life. Our lives are in his hand. He knows the plans he has for us (Jeremiah 29:11). He plans to give us hope and a future, and not to harm us, despite the furor of COVID-19.
In this season of high unemployment, death, and disease throughout the world, we have to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding; in all our ways submit to him, and he will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). We have to follow Paul’s instruction in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
As we worry about the safety of friends and loved ones, we have to pray that God will supply their needs according to his riches in glory, because they belong to him (Philippians 4:19). Those that are not able to be in the same space with elderly parents, and are worried about their safety due to COVID-19, should know their parents belong to God. Whereas it is natural to worry about loved ones, we should remember what Paul says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Let us not walk around with our heads down in defeat. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). We belong to God! He will never, ever, ever, fail us!
Prayer- Blessed Lord, thank you for your providential love for your creation. When we feel overwhelmed with the cares of this world, remind us to abide in your joy because we belong to you.