The WaySample

Exploring the Way

God’s Design and a Memory of Home

Previously you looked at our broken world using the diagram of the 3 Circles found in the video. Today you'll examine the idea of God’s design. While it doesn’t take much faith at all to believe we live in a broken world, it does require some faith to believe that when God originally designed this world, He loved it and created it to be in harmony with Him. Genesis 1:27-31 describes how God, humanity, and creation existed in a “very good” way.

God’s original and good design is the best explanation as to why we don’t see the brokenness all around us and just accept it. We see injustice and want to right it. We see suffering and want to end it. We know, somehow, the world is not as it ought to be. God’s good design is like a deep memory in our spirit that we compare this present world to. It makes us restless for something better. That’s why we are constantly trying to escape brokenness as illustrated in the video. We know there is something better than what we are experiencing, and we long for it.

Remember the last lesson’s story of the lost son? After squandering all his wealth and living with the pigs, the son looked around and thought, "What am I doing here?” He remembered his father and how good life was when they were together, and it hurt him to know that he was missing that now. In the same way, our hearts ache with a feeling that we are not where we are supposed to be with God or experiencing the full life He designed for us. To deal with the brokenness around us, we fill ourselves with things that make us feel even more broken. What makes this cycle so unbearable is the intuition that there is something better we are supposed to be a part of.

In the story, the son “came to his senses” and realized he was wrong to break relationship with his father. He was unsure of how his father would receive him if he attempted to return. To his surprise, his father gave him a big hug and an even bigger party. God is willing to do the same for all who return to Him through faith in Jesus. Do you believe that is true? Do you believe your relationship with God is broken and needs fixing? Is there anything stopping you from “going home” to Him? Talk to God about these things.

Prayer:

“God, help me to see how our relationship is broken because of sin, and help me believe that You want me to return to You and experience the peace You originally designed for this world. Help me to not let fear or pride stop me from “coming home.” Help me be humble like the son in the story and leave behind all the things I’ve tried to replace You with. Amen”