From before you were born—from the day you were made,
God knew who you were CREATED TO BE.
You were not created to be static—like a rock which is acted upon by its environment of rain and ice and the winds of time.
You were not created merely to be alive—like the trees or the flowers of the field, growing but living at the mercy of the weather.
You were not created simply to be alive and thinking –like dogs or horses or dolphins or doves.
You were created to BE.
To be is a linking verb, but can also be used existentially. It also has dynamic and stative uses. One grammar web site writes:
The verb “To be” is said to be the most protean of the English language, constantly changing form, sometimes without much of a discernible pattern. Considering that we use it so often, it is really too bad that the verb “To be” has to be the most irregular, slippery verb in the language.
I like to think of “To be” as organic and intrinsically part of the human condition–our state of existence and life itself. Organic has a punctiliar sense to it—a point in time, an origin. But organic also implies a living quality–movement, progression, dynamism—that shows we were not meant to be victims of the elements. Rather, we are to engage life. We are created to BE.
- To be—as a point of origin.
- To be—as an ongoing linking verb.
We are created in the image of God, our Creator.
Our Creator—without beginning or end—calls Himself “I AM.”
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'”
Given that we are made in I AM’s image, what action verbs will you choose to link with your BE?
Let’s ponder today what stewardship of this life entails and what it means that we are CREATED TO BE .
Top Ten Things I Wish Every Jew Knew About Christians (Summary Version)
What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is a transaction between two or more individuals. Forgiveness assumes someone acted wrongly toward another and that the offended person has a right to something as payment to make peace with the offense and the offender. It’s also a relational issue…and a complicated one at that. If you’d like to explore deeper, join me on the next page.