"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; Jeremiah 1:5 NIV
Before we ever felt the light of day or breathed the air of the atmosphere God knew us. He knew who we are and how we are. It wasn’t that he was an astute observer but He was the active agent in our creation. He is the maker of who we are and the planter of the seed of incredible potential in each of our lives. He fashioned us, for very specific reasons. God is the God of purpose and He has purposed to make us in such a way that we will matter to the world we live in.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.” Rom 8:28-30 NLT
Not only is God instrumental to our initial formation but He also is active in our lives and experiences using them as a master craftsmen uses a chisel. Forming, fashioning, and molding us into the unique image of His Son. God’s promise is that He will take both the good and the bad and use it to make us more like Jesus. God never wastes an experience.
We see this in Jesus personal ministry. He calls fishermen, men who knew what it was like to work for something in extreme conditions. They were familiar with trying hard and coming up empty, but not giving up. They would come in after a night of empty nets only to drop them down again with great expectation of getting the catch. Fishermen understand that the right circumstances, the right timing combined with persistence would result in a catch. In the same way God calls us and uses our past experiences. Our life up to this point has been God’s training program to what He is going to have us accomplish tomorrow.
Over the next four weeks we will journey together inventorying what God has planted in us, and what He has invested in our life to prepare us for the greatness He designed us for.
