Part 1
Did you know that we were created with a purpose? That’s right—the Almighty God created you and me! Many people today struggle to understand why they are in this world. Sadly, their inability to answer this question for themselves can lead them to dark places and unhealthy thoughts. Yet, without knowing God, we cannot see the answer to our reason for being.
First, we need to remember that we are not accidents. While we may come as a surprise to our parents, God was not taken by surprise by our arrival. God is the one who gives us life in our mother’s womb. Indeed, I believe the Word of God teaches that life begins at conception. This understanding helps us recognize that we have a purpose for being. God is not in heaven pondering what to do with us; He is, in fact, the reason we exist.
The Bible verse most frequently cited to suggest clearly that life begins at conception is Psalm 139:13, which says, “For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb.” The Hebrew word סכך means to weave or shape, which is why some Bible translations say, “You have knitted me together.” This verse speaks of God’s hand being upon every part of our development.
God also told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) The Hebrew word here is יָצַר, which means to shape or create. Think of that like the work of a potter with his clay on the wheel. God chose Jeremiah in His foreknowledge and fashioned him according to His divine purpose. In the same way, God knows what He has planned for our lives before we are even conceived. We are not accidents; we are created on purpose for God’s holy purpose.
There’s one more thought to share today. In both Judaism and Christianity, the saying “the fruit of the womb is a reward” beautifully expresses how our children are wonderful gifts from our gracious God (See Psalm 127:3). Therefore, it would serve us well to remember, as James tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) You are a gift, and God does not make mistakes, and you are wonderfully made. Over the next few weeks, we will explore how we have a reason for being and how we are partners with God to bless others because there is an answer to why we are here.
Part 2
Last time, we ended by discussing the Psalmist’s powerful declaration that “the fruit of the womb is a reward.” This beautifully expresses how we are all wonderful gifts from our gracious God (See Psalm 127:3). The context of that Psalm is marriage and family strength in the community. I often use this passage in premarital counseling, noting that children bring joy, blessing, and strength to our homes.
Consider the context, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies at the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5). I can testify that as my kids have become adults and moved out on their own, the strength of my home has diminished. I am not the young man I used to be, and I miss the vitality of their youthfulness to help with things. They had from birth a reason for being and still do as a family.
However, I have not considered these verses a powerful tool for teaching why we are here, for we have a purpose even at a young age. Before I continue, I will acknowledge that far too many of us may not have had a healthy home environment, which can alter our perspective. This can sometimes make it difficult for us to understand our place in the world because we start off with a deep deficit. Instead of knowing love, we experience abuse and rejection, often feeling unworthy and unneeded. This is not true. We have worth and are needed, these feelings are the result of sin.
The broken family is a systemic travesty in our culture, affecting one generation after another. After carrying those experiences into the stress of adulthood, we can struggle in the shadows, unsure of how to express our pain and confusion. We may genuinely wonder why we are here. This is why healthy church communities and families are needed today: to show all people that they are special to God, who created them in His image, and to us, His people.
Christians, who should understand familial love and relationships, must deeply consider if there is space in their lives for foster care and adoption—seeking to be a family by choice because we can all do something. So even if we were a surprise to our parents or forsaken by them, God was not shocked when we came on the scene. You and I are gifts from heaven to all of His creation. But more on this next time.
Part 3
Never allow the reality of God’s involvement in our lives to fade from view. God was not surprised by the day you were born, nor will He be surprised on the day of our death when we enter His glorious presence and see Him face to face in a new reality. As Paul says, “We [believers] are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him” (2 Corinthians 5:8–9). Paul tells the church in Corinth that they, just like you and I, have a purpose in this life: to be pleasing to the Lord. If you don’t remember, the church in Corinth has some issues, and this is a wake-up call to them and an excellent reminder for us today.
So, what does it mean to be pleasing to the Lord? This involves much more than simply keeping rules. I would suggest that we have God-given work to accomplish in the in-between space of the “now” and “not yet” of God’s kingdom. You could say we are meant to pursue God’s divine purposes. This doesn’t imply that we neglect school, jobs, or relationships. Rather, it means we are engaging in God’s work in all the places where God has directed our lives, whether we realize it or not. Wherever you are, you are there for God’s reasons. Consider how God can use you as His vessel of love, justice, and benevolence in everyday situations.
Therefore, we have a divine purpose embedded in our very being by God. Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8–10). At this point, it would be hard to deny that we are created with divine intent. You have a reason for being, a source for your existence, and it is divine. God gave you your life for His purposes.
David writes, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book, they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:14–16). You and I are here to help others know the God who also gave them life and purpose.