The Original Design of God’s Creation

Qing Dynasty vases, though small, are worth hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars. Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge had a few on display. That is until an individual in a clumsy moment, tripped, crashed into them, and they were shattered to smithereens.

Imagine what you would have felt had they belonged to you. We cannot imagine the value God put on His creation. Try to imagine! Everything was created for ultimate joy, love, goodness, peace, and fulfillment! Fitted together it was unimaginably glorious.

Intimate relationship with God was mind-blowing. Subsequently you would have been at the deepest peace with yourself and ultimately fulfilled. Relationships with others would have been beyond your most cherished moment with your most cherished friend. Marriages would have been the richest of experiences; family indescribable. We cannot imagine our physical and mental wholeness and capacities. Living in any community–again we can only imagine. Everyone secure in God’s love treated others in generous selflessness.

But His infinitely valued creation was shattered. Our world now reflects much of the darkness and ruin of human sin and Satan’s death and destruction. I know this is not new or profound, but track with me.

Jesus came to earth on a mission of reclamation. He came to destroy the devil’s works (1 John 3:8), to restore or save what was lost. It begins by restoring human’s relationship with God and personal wholeness. Jesus restored dignity and joy. His purpose includes restoring the significance and fulfillment of family. Jesus was relentless at liberating people from demonic torment and illness.

Jesus taught people to love and serve instead of living self-absorbed. He trained to live with hope versus hopelessness. Jesus gave people eternal purposes for which to live.

When thinking in terms save or salvation, in relation to “sozo”, we must think bigger than a ticket to heaven. We must think of restoring what was lost as it relates to God’s original design for life.  It begins now. It is our mission as His Church.