Devotion #4

In the scriptures, God reveals Himself by His name. More than just revealing His ability, the name of God reveal His character. God introduces Himself for the first time in Genesis 1:1 as Elohim, the Creator. As the Creator, He is full of creativity, ability and productivity.
When God created man, He put the same nature into man. Adam was created with God's creativity, ability and productivity inside of him. When Adams sinned against God, his fall didn't nullify those gifts. He still had them inside except that they were now corrupted.
For example, consider his son, Cain. In Genesis 4, Cain was able to build a whole city (4:16-17), provide employment (4:20), music and entertainment (4:21), manufacturing, and the building of weapons (4:22). He was able to singlehandedly accomplish great feats out of the same creative potential God has deposited into the entire human race, albeit that they were now perverted and self-serving.
Herein lies a very important concept: When man fell, God didn't plan for the elimination of men, society, culture, or the whole world. Instead, God sought to bring about the restoration of fallen humanity. Elohim God started to reveal Himself by another name-- Yahweh, or God the Redeemer(Ex. 3:13-14). The essence of redemption is taking that which is broken, fixing it, and restoring it back to its original purpose and intention.
Jesus came to be our Redeemer- to bring about the conversion of the fallen man from darkness to light, and from death to life. But He also seeks to convert the creativity, ability and productivity that God has putinside man back to its original purpose. Acts 3:19-21 says that this conversion is not just the restoration of man from the sin problem, it is the restoration of all things in life. People, marriages, businesses, education systems, culture and arts must all be born again.
You are not called to hide from the world. As a followerof Christ the Redeemer, you are now a conversionist. Youare to use your creativity, ability and porductivity to redeem everything you see in your world back to God's original purpose and intention. So that they could be used for the cause and glory of his kingdom. Start being a conversionist in your world today!


Shufeng