How much of our life is by chance and how much of it is planned and prepared in advance? God knew us before we even existed. He was thinking about us in advance, desiring for us to be united with Him through Christ, to be in His family.
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29 NLT
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 NIV
So what does this mean for us as individuals? We find ourselves here in time and space, and often feel like life serves us up a string of unfortunate events. Are we victims of circumstance or are we here in God’s divine timing? There is a beautiful mystery in Psalms which shows us a glimpse of God’s purpose.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Psalm 139:13-15 ESV
The psalm continues to say, that God saw us being intricately woven in the secret place. He is the one who took us from our unformed state and He formed the days for us, transcribing them in His books.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Psalm 139:16-17 ESV
There were books written about us before we were born. Even in our unformed substance God had purpose for us and with precious thoughts, He wrote books about us to begin to contain some of His immense thoughts towards us.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV
‘For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11 AMP
Before the foundation of the earth, God had a plan and He set us apart with destiny for His divine purpose. His thoughts and plans towards us for our peace, well-being and a future filled with hope.
We no longer have any need to compare ourselves to others, or measure our success by the standards of society. God has prepared in advance things for each of us to do. Our delightful journey is to discover what God has for us. This is our success and the ultimate glory which God intended for us.
No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God--his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 1 Corinthians 2:7 NLT
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:3-4 NIV
The mystery of God, His hidden plan, was made for our glory before He even created the world. He called us from the womb, and knew us before we were in our mother’s womb.
The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” Isaiah 49:1-3 ESV
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 NLT
He formed us, called us, set us apart and appointed us for His wonderful purposes. God prepared works for us to walk in before we got here. We are hidden in His hand and revealed in the nations.