Zebras -- No Two Have the Same Stripes!

Did you know that there are three species of zebras, and many more sub-species?  And in all those different types of zebras, no two have the exact same pattern of stripes, even within the same species.  No two zebras look exactly alike.  It's kind of like us.  No two of us look alike.  Even identical twins, sharing the same DNA, have slight differences in appearance.
 

What an unlimited imagination, our creator God has!  We are all born pretty much the same, with two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth, teeth, hair, and yet in all the people who ever lived or ever will live, no two of us are exactly the same.  Not only is our appearance unique, so is our DNA and our fingerprints.

But God tells us in His word that there are some things that are exactly the same, no matter who we are or where we live.  Consider the following:

·         God created us:
“Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalm 100:2-4)

 “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:3)

·         God desires a relationship with us:“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)

“That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:3-4)

·         Each of us has sinned, and that sin prevents us from having a relationship with God:“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

·         Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sin so that our relationship with Him can be restored:“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  Ephesians 2:8:9

·         If we will accept His sacrifice for our sin and make Him Lord of our lives, we will spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  If we will not, we will spend eternity separated from Him in hell:“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.’” (John 11:25-26)

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10, 15)

So we learn, no matter our “stripes,” no matter who we are, no matter what wonderfully good works we’ve done in this life, no matter how bad our sins are, we will be judged only on our relationship with Jesus Christ – whether we have accepted his payment for our sin, whether we have lived life on our own terms or according to His lordship.  The choice is ours to make.  I hope you have chosen to follow Him.

My prayer this week, for myself and for you, is from Psalm 25:5:  “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.”