Wow, what a flurry of excitement from the scientific community! Cloning is in the news. It's not science fiction any more. Researchers are excited, ethicists are worried, and all the news magazines have identical sheep on their covers. While all sorts of questions have been raised, one thing remains certain: they may can clone your DNA, but they can never make another you. Even if you are an identical twin, there is not another you!
Each person is a masterpiece created by the designer of the universe. He puts his SIGnature on each one of us. He does this in three ways.
S -- God makes each of us with our own unique set of abilities, or STRENGTHS. He gives us these when he creates us and carefully forms us in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13-15). We often call these talents or traits, but they are part of God's plan to make each of us uniquely equipped for the purpose he planned for us before we were born (Psalm 139:16).
I -- God is at work in our lives to shape us through our experiences and develop in us special areas of expertise and INTEREST (Philippians 2:13). Each step of the way he is at work causing some events, reshaping others, and mitigating others (Romans 8:28). We are not alone as we live our lives. Even those bad things Satan throws in our paths and those disasters that happen upon us naturally are all used by the Master Craftsman to mold us to his purposes.
G -- God gives each of us a special set of abilities when we become Christians (1 Peter 4:10-11). These are gifts given us to bless the body of Christ and to honor God (Ephesians 4:11-16). These are given to us by God to enable us to be effective in ministry and to equip us to do his work (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
While we may share things in common with other people, even very similar DNA, God only makes one of us. There is only one you. There is only one me. Who we are and what we are is so much more than the protein molecules found in our DNA strings.
You are special. You are known and loved by God. You have a special purpose in being here. So rather than getting too caught up in cloning fever, be captured by this thought:
The One who spoke into existence the stars and keeps the sun its place is at work in you to make you uniquely useful to him and his people. Begin each day with the knowledge that God is with you, shaping you, and using you for his purposes. Be alive the reality that no one, at no other time in history, has been you or ever will be you. Acknowledge that God wants to use you in a special way. There's only one you!
Psalm 139:13-15
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
1 Peter 4:10-11
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
