Checking Your Provenance
by Malcolm Wood
Nowadays, with concern over the origins of what goes into our food and anything else which could cause us harm, it`s become necessary to trace the origns and authenticity of many products and ingredients. The term `provenance` meaning - `the place of origin or earliest known history of something`, until recently more associated with valuable pieces of art, is now in more general use.
However much we appear to be the `real thing` in our Christian walk and witness, how would we measure up to the scrutiny of an in depth check into our authenticity and origin?
It helps us all at times to take stock of where we`ve come from. In the verse above the prophet Isaiah challenges God`s people to remember their roots. For some this may be a painful process, as their upbringing may have been less than perfect. Perhaps we all need to look back a little further and rediscover, in the light of scriptures, such truths as we find in Nehemiah 9:6, that God has given us all life, a truth which is repeated in Paul`s sermon in Athens (Acts17:25).
In Psalm 139:13-16 we`re told that God put together all the delicate parts of our body in our mother`s womb, that he knew us before we were born, and that every day of our life was recorded before it ever took place! Psalm 103:13, and many like it, also reminds us that God is our Father and is good. He only has our very best interests at heart.
When we begin to grasp the signifcance of these scriptures, in terms of our `provenance`, something of the true nature of our origins becomes more apparent, that is – each of us is a child of God.
No matter what we`ve been through in life, whatever the knocks and bruises, hurts and pains, no matter how far we`ve strayed from what God originally intended, nothing changes the fact that God is still our Father and loves us with an everlasting love. He longs for each of us to reach out to Him and know Him better. This has all been made possible through the cross of Jesus. Through the death of Jesus, God has provided a way by which each of His children can come back into close and personal relationship with Him, and be completely restored to the masterpiece that He intended each of us to be, with worth, purpose and a future.
Once we have a better understanding of who we are, and where we`ve come from, and that `in Christ we live and move and exist` (Acts1 7:28), we`re in a better place to face the challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead, as we serve the purposes of the Kingdom of God here on earth, until the day He calls us home.
Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You for reminding me that my roots are in You. Thank You for giving me life. Please forgive me for not always acknowledging You as my Father. I`m sorry for the times I`ve turned my back on You. Help me to come back to that true, intimate relationship with You that You intended for me to enjoy. Thank You that through the cross of Jesus You`ve made a way for me to be restored to that person You planned me to be. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
