Welcome to God’s world. He’s been expecting you.
Do you feel like your life must be some sort of random accident? Or that you have little purpose among the billions of other lives surrounding you?
Even though you’ve been an Earth dweller for some time now, sometimes you may wonder why you’re even here.
Of course, you were born here. You have a family, and a town or city where you live. But that is all about what you are, and where you are.
The question of why you are—here and now—must be firmly answered.
Because until you can come to grips with the why of you, you can’t fulfill your God-given destiny.
Is it possible for someone to live out his or her entire lifetime without even understanding the why—the reason for their being? Unfortunately, people have done so throughout every generation of humanity.
The world’s first lie—spoken by satan in Eden’s garden—convinced the first humans that they could think and act independently from their Holy Creator. It was bound to happen, sooner or later. Any one of us would have fallen for the lie. And by association, we did.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
Within our encapsulated days of life, we often find it difficult to relate to such ancient history—so far removed from our own modern era. We tend to regard past generations as archaic, unrefined, or unrealistic in comparison to our own present day viewpoints—as if those who lived before us were nothing like us.
But if we really think about people, we can recognize the “sameness” of humankind. Times have changed—and customs, attitudes and technologies have changed along with it. But at their very core, people are basically identical from generation to generation—from the beginning of time.
We have the Bible as an accurate, God-given record of this beginning. It’s importance is invaluable, because it tells the creation story from God’s point of view—the best point of view to see the story.
Because from God’s point of view, you’ll see that it’s also your story.
And if you want to understand your story, the way God understands it—through the lens of His own divine purposes—you need to establish a purposeful picture of all His creation.
In order to live out your life well—with courage and conviction—you must see your present life as part of God’s whole creation. He is the author of this story—your story—and He died so that you would know it.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
So let’s take a look at your story, from the very beginning. Follow along with me in Genesis, Chapter 1.
Most likely recorded by Moses, Genesis gives a concise and telling account of our beginning. It briefly explains some of the most vital details about creation. But it’s also a story about you, me, and every one of us. It allegorically presents a picture of our own fallen, sinful nature, as God purposes to recreate what has been lost.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)
Genesis 1:1 is the “beginning.” But we are barely into verse 2 when we read something unsettling. God’s earth appears to be a chaotic mess—“without form and void, and filled with darkness”. We look through this window of history, at this point in time, to witness God’s response—as He is about to set in order what appears to be complete disorder.
In ancient Hebrew, “without form” means “to lie waste; a desolation; a worthless thing; a wilderness; an empty place, etc.” The word “void” here means “an empty vacuum, or an indistinguishable ruin.” The word “darkness” here means “obscurity, as withholding light.” And the word “deep” here means “a surging mass of disordered waters.”
We can imagine the chaos, confusion and disorder of the earth. It’s entirely possible that “the beginning” was a sudden, cataclysmic event. We don’t know for sure.
But there is one thing we do know for sure: God does not create disorder. Instead, He establishes His order out of chaos.
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,” (1 Cor 14:33a)
- This is what God does for us—He takes the chaos and brings it into order. He takes desolate hearts, and disordered lives—which have been laid at His feet in repentance—and establishes His order in the chaos. Dispelling the darkness of our destructive, sinful nature—He recreates us into His own newfound creation.
He is the Lord of purpose, order and light.
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)
- What God did for His disorderly world, He also does for us. Into lives of darkness and eyes blinded by Sin, God declares, “Let there be light.” It is the first miracle that we receive from God’s purposeful plans, as His light pierces our darkness.
“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:4)“
“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” (Genesis 1:6)
In verses 4-10, God begins to put things in order, by dividing (separating) everything into their respective places of order—and giving authority and purpose to each individual part, to work both independently and in correlation with the whole.
- This is what God also does with lives that are out of order. He moves things into their proper places. A life set and maintained in proper order is a life set in motion for good.
“And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ” (Genesis 1:12)
In verses 11-12, God takes the orderly ground He has established, and plants it with good crops.
- Just as fruit will grow on a well-planted, well-watered tree, every life established by Him—well-planted, well-watered, and well-ordered—will soon become fruitful.
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” (Genesis 1:14)
In verses 14 – 18, God further establishes light as an authority—giving it specific rule and jurisdiction over times, days and seasons—to further separate the darkness from the light.
- And it’s the same for every life which has been put in order by God. We receive and accept new and specific light for correction, protection and wisdom—further dispelling any darkness within us or around us.
“And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.” (Genesis 1:22)
In verses 20-25, blessings begin to pour upon creation as God brings an abundance of His creation into the sea, sky and land. He fills the earth with His glorious abundance.
- And likewise, lives ordered by God overflow with the abundance of His purposes and provision. He leaves no area of our lives empty, but uses it all to its fullest—for His glory.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)
In verses 26-28, God made man in His own image—male and female—to have dominion over all that He has created. Adam was the first man who God breathed His own breath of life into. But he was just the beginning.
- This is what Almighty God does in any one of us who confesses our sin and believes on Jesus Christ as Savior—our life and being are infused with the breath of God’s own purposes. He takes that one who was lost—by the fall of sinful disobedience—and fills him anew with His very own likeness, and with His Holy Spirit restoring him unto Himself.
All the rest of creation would unquestionably obey God. But man was different. Made in the very image of his Creator, he had his own free will—his own ability to choose right from wrong, and life from death.
And it’s the same for you and me—and all who are recreated after God’s own image, as new creations in Christ Jesus.
God is very aware of His investment in us, as He fills us with His Holy Spirit’s presence. We have authority. We gain dominion. God is our Father. But we also have an obligation before Him, who has established us as His own: to do His will.
And this is where the purposes of God fully come into play. We have the choice each day to choose God’s holy purposes—His destiny for our new lives—or we can choose something else. The choice is always before us. It is the calling of God for every generation of life, from the very beginning of time.
It is the chance of a lifetime—the chance to be His—and to live out His purpose, for all time.
You weren’t invited into God’s creation plan by mistake. You were planned and purposed—and sown, like a seed, into the ground of His perfect plan. That you might first bear the fruit of repentance, and then continue on—to bear the peaceable fruit of righteousness—as God fills your life with His power and purpose.
This is why Jesus suffered and died for all of His creation. For you.
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10)
You see, God’s story has always included you. And when He created all things, He specifically thought of your life—within your time and place.
We can see another parallel in John chapter 1. Follow along with me, as we now go there.
There’s something amazing in the first 14 verses. It’s a whole new revelation about who Jesus is, and why He came to light a world so lost—and hearts so void and filled with darkness. His world—His creation—now in such disorder. A disarray of sinfulness, selfishness and suffering.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
John 1:1 starts out with what sounds like a repeat of Genesis 1:1 as John begins, “In the beginning.” But then he surprises us as he continues, “…was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” No doubt, John was just as surprised by the Holy Spirit’s revelation of Christ in creation.
I can’t see your own reaction whenever you read this, but for me, it’s always one of astonishment—mixed with the pure joy of realizing the unfathomable lengths God was willing to go for His world.
“The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:2-5)
The Greek meaning for the word, “comprehended” is twofold. It means to take possession of (to grasp or seize), and to appropriate (to make use of; make your own.) From the very beginning, darkness was unable to grasp the love and light of Christ. John makes it very clear to us that nothing—from the very beginning of time—was ever without a reason.
God is the God of details, and the God of specific purposes. Whether He is creating a universe right out of nothing, or recreating your very own soul into the likeness of Himself.
“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” (John 1:10)
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11)
Verse 10 is inescapable—revealing to us that the Creator of all things created had stepped into His world, and had come to His own (the Jewish nation), but they did not receive Him (verse 11). Look again at verse 5. The light shone in the darkness, but they could not comprehend it.
They could not grasp Him. He was freely theirs to have and to hold—much like the wedding vows of a bride and her groom—but, sadly, they chose not to receive Him.
And now, we read the promise of all promises:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
As many as received Him—he gave power to become the sons of God—to become His own family members.
That’s you, and that’s me. And whosoever will.
There doesn’t seem to be any room here for misunderstandings. No mistaken identities, as if someone couldn’t be sure who God willingly and wonderfully saves, or who He does not.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Nothing here is left to chance. There is nothing for us to wonder about—nothing out of focus. This is straightforward and deliberate, determining to bring each one of us to the sense of what God has planned and purposed for us all. It spares no detail or expense—not even sparing God’s own son—in the process of possessing us.
His coming has a two-fold purpose. Not only does Christ shine His light into the darkness, but He also makes it possible for any of us, then or now, to become the sons of God. We—who believe on the Name of Jesus—become the very sons of God, justified and joined to Christ by His own redeeming blood.
Think about that.
Does this sound like you’re some sort of accident? Or like God gave you some kind of random identity? No. Never.
This is God’s world. And He knows exactly what He is doing here.
This, my friend, is what God’s unfailing love really looks like.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” (Ephesians 1:3-4)
Every one of God’s magnificent creation (that’s you!) is called within our own place in time. Every one—chosen and purposed by God—from the very beginning of time. Known by God—and needed by God—to fulfill our specific destiny, within our own specific days, place and purpose.
Every one—from the very beginning.
Great people. Simple people. Called people. Like Noah, or Abraham, or Moses, or Joshua. Esther and Ruth. Paul, Peter and John. On and on, throughout the story, the list goes. All fulfilling their purpose, in their days and seasons, within God’s own perfect timing.
They all made their mistakes. They all had their fears, and their failures. And they certainly had their victories, as well. All living out imperfect lives, before a perfect God.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1)
So—in the light of such a great cloud of witnesses—who can you reasonably consider yourself to be, in this story?
Certainly, no Abraham. Certainly, no Paul. And neither are any of the rest of us.
But right now, you will be—and must be—the person whom God’s divine plans and timing have purposed for you to be.
Because the evidence is clear.
God chose to create you, rather than some other soul He might have made. You are specifically who He designed you to be—even needed you to be. You’re not just anyone. And you’re not just anywhere. You’re not just for any time, or in any random circumstances. You are purposefully planted where you are, today and now.
He planned you. He placed you. He called you into being. And then He died for you, knowing that you were fallen. Knowing you were disordered—void of purpose, and full of darkness.
But also knowing that you would search Him out, and take His hand of grace—knowing you would reach out with your own hand, in faith, to grasp His.
You would do it, because you recognized His call.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)
Though your life may seem small or insignificant, you can view it within the story of God’s eternal purposes. And you can be assured that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him, who makes all things—and makes no mistakes.
Yes, fearfully and wonderfully made—warts, and all. Our God of wonders only does wondrous things. Only miracles.
He knew every aspect of you—”In the beginning”—long before you ever came to be.
Yes, you. Unmistakably, you. The you who God dreamed of—before the foundations of the world were even laid.
He dreamed of you, and who you would be. You might have even stretched God’s creative imagination, just a little—as He dreamed of you.
And, He smiled.
You are literally the stuff that God’s dreams are made of.
To Christ Jesus, you were well-worth His own personal suffering. He dared to bring forth—right from the depths of Himself—someone He had long ago dreamed of bringing to reality.
He purposed you, and prodded you to move into His purposes. He proved you—as He planted you within the center of His will—that you would become a fruitful tree. That the harvest—of you—would be a joy for Him who planted you.
He made you with unlimited potential. Within your void of weakness, He placed the presence and the power of His Holy Spirit.
God Almighty strategically and precisely positioned you, within your time and place, to fulfill His timeless will.
You—who He has set upon a course—to discover the greatness of His glory.
Apparently, you are a really big deal.
But if for some reason you still feel insignificant—or without direction, or without purpose—try this:
Dare to dream God’s dream for you. Picture your life in His—for all time, and for all eternity. Picture yourself as the son or daughter of the most high God of Heaven and earth. Imagine that you’ve already made Him the proudest Father of all.
Because you were born to be His. You are His dream come true.
And your life, my friend—is His love story.
It’s beautiful. And it is just beginning.
