Confident Identity - The Depth of Divine Intelligence

The Depth of Divine Intelligence

Can you begin to fathom the depth of God's intelligence? Let's start here. Psalms 147:4 proclaims, "He determined the stars and called them EACH by name." Do you wonder how many stars there are? Astronomers estimate 200 billion trillion stars in the "observable" universe. Most of us can't say this number, but that's 200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars that God can recite by name! This staggering number is a testament to the awe-inspiring nature of God's intellectual capacity and power, a fact that should fill all of us with reverence and humility, pushing us toward digging deeper into who God is. 

Your Unique Connection with God

Now that you have an inkling of God's omnipotent power let's delve into your unique connection with God. You were created in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27), a profound truth that underscores your identity and significance as an heir of God. When God created you, He did so with specificity. Scripture outlines how God made you long before you were physically born. For instance, in Psalms 139:13, King David speaks to God, "For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother's womb." In Jeremiah 1:5, the Prophet Jeremiah states the words given by the Lord, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart." Scientific proof backs the scripture that each individual was created with specificity because not one person, not even identical twins, bears the same fingerprints.

Out of an estimated 8 billion people on earth and twice as many who have lived and died, no one shares the exact configuration of fingerprints as you. Your fingerprint patterns, barely visible to the naked eye, accentuate God's infinite power and creativity. You are God's distinctive and particular creation, a testament to His intentionality, attention to detail, and thoughtfulness of who you are. This uniqueness reflects your value and specific purpose in God's plan.

Cherished and Known by God

Ponder on this… You are so cherished by God, and He knows you intimately. For example, He knows the exact number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30 and Luke 12:7), and according to Psalms 139:1-4, "He knows all your movements and is familiar with all your ways. Before you speak, He knows what you will say. The bottom line is that God knows your personality. He knows your needs and desires because He knows your unique pattern of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and even your love language; in turn, he knows how to effectively use you as His masterpiece for a particular purpose and to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).

Earlier, David and Jeremiah were referenced. They are both excellent illustrations of how God used them for His purpose. David, a descendant from the tribe of Judah, was anointed King of Israel. David did several things as King, such as uniting the tribes of Israel into one kingdom, establishing Jerusalem as a capital city, and authoring most of the Books of Psalms.

Moreover, Jesus Christ came from David's lineage or the "House of David." On the other hand, Jeremiah was appointed the Prophet to the nations with a primary focus on the Nation of Judah. He was used to warn the people of Israel of judgment about their sins, remind them of their covenant with God, and persuade them to repent to avoid disaster.

Purposeful Women in Biblical History

Now that examples were given about purposeful men, let's talk about women. Historically, when it came to emphasizing purpose, many women were often overlooked, unnamed, and unnoticed during the biblical era. In that time, tradition and culture usually limited a woman's standing and identity to being connected to someone else. Women were identified as the daughter of, the sister of, the wife of, or the mother of a particular man. Thank goodness Jesus Christ was a progressive, and His regard for women differed significantly from his culture or surroundings. For Christ, women had an intrinsic value equal to men because He truly understood women are created in the image of God, just as men are.

There are several biblical narratives, especially in the New Testament during Christ's earthly ministry, where women played pivotal roles: they were not just side characters; they were central to many of the most crucial moments, contributed to fulfilling God's plan, left a lasting legacy and impact, and inspired and empowered others. A grand narrative that displays the testament to a woman's significant role in God's plan and Jesus's ministry is the story of Mary Magdalene.

Meet Mary Magdalene

During the New Testament period, Mary was not just a popular female name among Jews but also a name with significant meaning and symbolism. Many of those Marys were associated with Jesus, including His Mother, Mary of Nazareth. When the authors of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, wrote, they distinguished some individuals by place of origin. Therefore, Mary Magdalene was distinguished as the Mary from the fishing town Magdala, which is located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. When Mary is introduced on the scene, she is a troubled woman whom Jesus has to exorcist to remove seven demons from her (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). The process of Jesus exorcising the demons from Mary is a powerful and vivid image that showcases His divine power. Can you imagine Mary's suffering and desperation from having evil spirits or diseases? Once Jesus delivered her, she underwent a profound transformation, becoming a woman of strong faith and one of His most unwavering, loyal, and devout followers who traveled with Him and his disciples, inspiring others with her journey. 

Mary, often believed to have had wealth, played a significant role in Jesus's ministry. As Luke 8:3 states, she was among other women who financially supported His work, demonstrating the depth of her commitment and the importance of her role. When Jesus was nearing His death, Mary was among those there for His most difficult times. She was near Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Unlike some of the other male disciples, Mary did not run when Jesus was captured by the Roman soldiers, a bold act considering the heightened danger for anyone associated with Jesus. She stood by Jesus during his trial, where Pontius Pilate sentenced Him to death, and she stood near the cross despite the risk of being present at His crucifixion. Not only was she at the crucifixion, but she also watched Jesus's burial, and she, along with other women, prepared to return to his grave to anoint His body with spices. However, Jesus was not in His tomb upon return because He had been resurrected. According to John 20: 11-18, Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after He resurrected, and He instructed her to tell the disciples the good news, He had risen. Yes! A woman witnessed the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and a woman was the FIRST person to carry that Gospel to others.

The Bible is rich with stories of women who demonstrated their purpose and identity in God. Throughout biblical history, God has used women as agents of justice and goodwill and to carry the Gospel message. 

Our Purpose

Our purpose in life is the very essence of our existence, and without knowing this, we often suffer ignorance of our own significance. We fall prey to the illusion that our lives don't matter and that we have no connection or impact on the world around us. I know personally that life is complicated and challenging to handle at times. We have many unavoidable issues to deal with, such as health crises, relationship problems, family dysfunction, and financial challenges, to name a few, that sap our strength and turn us on autopilot for "survival" mode, distracting us from tapping into our purpose of achieving our highest potential. To go further, many of us allow our genealogy, downward circumstances, past mistakes, and experienced trauma to blind us from seeing who we are in God and how God sees us. Be mindful that Ecclesiastes 1:9 states, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. With this, you should recognize that individuals like David (He did have Uriah killed in battle because he got the man's wife Bathsheba pregnant), Mary Magdalene (Jesus had to remove seven demons from her), and others in the Old and New Testaments were just as flawed and broken as we can be and experienced some of the same trials we experience today. Yet, God used them to manifest godly purposes just as He will use us. Yes, we are ALL "Imperfect by Nature" yet "Perfected by Love." That is perfected by the love of Christ. Knowing the latter should encourage you to confidently embrace who the Creator has designed you to be. The foundation of your confidence starts with having faith in God. 

Conclusion

Going back to Genesis 1:26-27, we were created in God's image and likeness. Therefore, we have His DNA! When I say, “God's DNA,” I mean we have divine qualities and characteristics that we inherit as His children. One of those inherited qualities is His 'intelligence" that has been bestowed upon us. I'm referring to the wisdom and discernment God imparts through His Spirit. Understanding your capabilities because of your inherited intelligence should positively impact your boldness and attitude, which will determine your altitude. You should move through the world confidently, knowing you are secure in your distinctive identity in God. You are equipped to inspire, change lives, and significantly impact the Kingdom of God and the world around you. In conclusion, have a confident identity because no one has your fingerprints; you were made with specificity for a purpose.

#Confident Identity. "No one has my fingerprints. I was made with specificity and for a purpose."

Cornwell's Girl