An Accident or Divine Design
An Accident or Divine Design
Jeremiah 1-5
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Are we the product of chance or the work of a divine designer? This is the question our culture wrestles with. For many, we are the product of change, the result of a chance evolutionary process, and so an unborn baby is nothing more than a blob of tissue that forms by chance. Because we are the product of evolution, there is no guarantee that we will be formed correctly in the womb. If we are nothing more than the product of chance, then our physical bodies may not align with our true identity. Mother Nature is fickle and arbitrary, and the development of our bodies may not be in line with our internal identity. In a natural world governed by chance, mistakes happen. As a result, the unborn are devalued, and life itself is meaningless. In the opening words of Jeremiah, we not only discover Jeremiah’s call to ministry, but we also find the nature and value of life.
While we do not know the exact age of Jeremiah, scholars universally agree that Jeremiah was in his late teens to early 20s when he was confronted with the call of God. In these words, we not only see the purpose God had for Jeremiah, but also gain insight into the purpose and work of God in our lives. In verse 5, we discover two important truths that serve as the foundation for our understanding of God’s design for us. First, we discover that we are not the product of chance and the mechanics of nature. Each one of us is purposefully designed and formed by God himself. From the moment of conception, God is actively engaged in our lives, forming our physical, emotional, and spiritual identity so that we might be the person God designed us to be. The language is important: God does not say, “before you were formed,” but rather, “before I formed you!” This theme is repeated in the Bible. Psalm 71:6, “Upon you I have learned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13, “For You formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb.” Isaiah 44:2, “Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you. (see also verse 44). The reason people struggle with their identity today is not because of a mistake of nature, but because they are not living aligned with God’s purpose and design.
Not only did God design our physical, emotional, and spiritual identity, but he also created us for a purpose. Not only did God purposely form Jeremiah’s identity, personality, and attributes, but he also designed Jeremiah for a purpose to serve him. “Before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Paul affirms this in Galatians 1:15 when he states, “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace.” When we recognize that God designed us for a purpose, to live in a relationship with him and serve him, then we discover the joy and meaning of life. The reason people struggle to understand their identity and are inwardly dissatisfied with life is not that they were a mistake of nature, but because they are not living according to God’s purpose and design. If we are dissatisfied with life, if there is something deep within us that seems disjointed and broken, if life seems to be the product of chance rather than design, the solution is to surrender to God and ask Him to set the course of our lives. We are not the product of chance; we are not a mistake that must be corrected, our lives are not without purpose. A personal God created you perfectly in all aspects for the purpose of serving him, so that your identity is found in him and his eternal design for you.
Jeremiah 1-5
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Are we the product of chance or the work of a divine designer? This is the question our culture wrestles with. For many, we are the product of change, the result of a chance evolutionary process, and so an unborn baby is nothing more than a blob of tissue that forms by chance. Because we are the product of evolution, there is no guarantee that we will be formed correctly in the womb. If we are nothing more than the product of chance, then our physical bodies may not align with our true identity. Mother Nature is fickle and arbitrary, and the development of our bodies may not be in line with our internal identity. In a natural world governed by chance, mistakes happen. As a result, the unborn are devalued, and life itself is meaningless. In the opening words of Jeremiah, we not only discover Jeremiah’s call to ministry, but we also find the nature and value of life.
While we do not know the exact age of Jeremiah, scholars universally agree that Jeremiah was in his late teens to early 20s when he was confronted with the call of God. In these words, we not only see the purpose God had for Jeremiah, but also gain insight into the purpose and work of God in our lives. In verse 5, we discover two important truths that serve as the foundation for our understanding of God’s design for us. First, we discover that we are not the product of chance and the mechanics of nature. Each one of us is purposefully designed and formed by God himself. From the moment of conception, God is actively engaged in our lives, forming our physical, emotional, and spiritual identity so that we might be the person God designed us to be. The language is important: God does not say, “before you were formed,” but rather, “before I formed you!” This theme is repeated in the Bible. Psalm 71:6, “Upon you I have learned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13, “For You formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb.” Isaiah 44:2, “Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you. (see also verse 44). The reason people struggle with their identity today is not because of a mistake of nature, but because they are not living aligned with God’s purpose and design.
Not only did God design our physical, emotional, and spiritual identity, but he also created us for a purpose. Not only did God purposely form Jeremiah’s identity, personality, and attributes, but he also designed Jeremiah for a purpose to serve him. “Before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Paul affirms this in Galatians 1:15 when he states, “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace.” When we recognize that God designed us for a purpose, to live in a relationship with him and serve him, then we discover the joy and meaning of life. The reason people struggle to understand their identity and are inwardly dissatisfied with life is not that they were a mistake of nature, but because they are not living according to God’s purpose and design. If we are dissatisfied with life, if there is something deep within us that seems disjointed and broken, if life seems to be the product of chance rather than design, the solution is to surrender to God and ask Him to set the course of our lives. We are not the product of chance; we are not a mistake that must be corrected, our lives are not without purpose. A personal God created you perfectly in all aspects for the purpose of serving him, so that your identity is found in him and his eternal design for you.
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Who do we listen to?God's Patience and the Certainty of JudgmentThe Present Implications of the FutureAcknoweldgement, Confession, and ForgivenessThe Mark of a Genuine DiscipleThe Unchanging WordThe Lost ARt of DiscernmentA Life that Pleases GodThe Subtle Danger of Spiritual PrideContending for the FaithThe Judgement of False TeachersKeep Our Faith in a Fallen WorldSecurity in a Insecure WorldThe God who Controls HistoryThe Terrifying Majesty of ChristThe Majesty of GodThe Praise of God's JusticeHaving Right Priorities in Life
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The Autobiography of GodThe God who CreatesThe God who RecreatesThe God Who Gives Us SignificanceThe Blessing of God's PlansTrusting in the Timing and Plan of GodThe God who ProvidesGod's Sovereignty and GraceThe King of Self or the King of KingsThe Exclusive Worship of GodHas God Forgotten?The Wonder of God's Plan and TimingGod's Sovereignty and Forgiveness
March
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May
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