Written for GanTV.com by host Catherine Toon, MD.
God Had a Dream and It Was You
God is a Dreamer. You are God’s dream. Before the foundation of the world, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had so much other-giving love that it simply could not be contained. It spilled out into a race of children created in His image and likeness. (Genesis 1:26-27)
Ephesians 1:4 (TPT) is explicit about His heart for His kids. It says:
4 And he chose us to be his very own, joining us to himself even before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence.
You are His dream come true!
God’s Dream, Your Destiny in Christ
Not only did God choose us in union with Himself before the foundation of the world, but He prepared a destiny for us.
Through our union with Christ we too have been claimed by God as his own inheritance. Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart –Ephesians 1:11 (TPT)
Poiēma – God’s Workmanship
Ephesians 2:10 not only speaks of our destiny but also how God crafted us as His “poetry to the world”:
We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! (TPT)
The Greek word for “poetry” here is the word “poiēma”, and can be translated as follows:
a product, such as a piece of fabric, literally or figuratively
a thing that is made
workmanship
God is Love. (1 John 4:8-9) You are literally cut out of the same bolt of fabric as your Creator…of Love, Himself! You are Love’s poem to the world!
You are not some random biochemical happening, but an exquisite work of art chosen and crafted before the foundation of the world.
Take this in and sit with it for a bit!
God’s Dream, Bearing the Image of Christ
In addition, the Word says because of His finished work – Love’s performance – we are exact representations of Christ right now.
16 We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us.
God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them. 17 By living in God,[c] love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so are we in this world. –1 John 4:16-17 (TPT)
God’s Dream, The Divine Nature
We are of Love’s essence, partaking of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:2-4)
This is a mind-blowing reality that requires much faith – His faith (Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 12:2). It requires much faith because we fall short. We must remember this is all based on Christ’s matchless performance- not ours!
If Christ’s performance made us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and He has become our sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30), then all this is about Him and His performance – not ours!
This is something I urge you to meditate on. It is scandalous, but it is the gospel and it will set you free. It will make you fall deeper in love with Christ! Understanding it in this light will help you see yourself and others rightly!
You are Marked by Love, Himself!
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Connect with Catherine at Catherine Toon Ministries.
Love.