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You are here.
Ever wondered why?
You are not where you are by any random incident or occurrence. You, your life, and where you live it is neither accidental nor random. I know it feels like it sometimes, no question about that. The truth, however, is that we all are where we are by God’s design. I believe this.
I have experienced times when I would have read that and said, “Really, Lord? You must be kidding!” I have learned to accept that God is able to have me where I need to be, doing what I need to be doing, when I need to be doing it, and with whom I need to do it–all regardless of circumstances.
When my life felt like a colossal cosmic joke (and I have said that to Him before), I saw in time that what I felt was only because I could not see the whole picture. And I do not mean the whole picture only in circumstances. I mean in time as well. Consider today’s Scripture passage:
Rahab’s house was built into the town wall and one of the windows in her house faced outside the wall. She gave the spies a rope, showed them the window, and said, “Use this rope to let yourselves down to the ground outside the wall. Then hide in the hills. The men who are looking for you won’t be able to find you there. They’ll give up and come back after a few days, and you can be on your way.” (Jos 2:15-16 CEV)
Was it random that Rahab’s home was built in the city wall of Jericho facing the outside? Was it random that she lived in Jericho at all? Why not some other city? Was it random that she encountered the Israeli spies and not someone else? Was it random that she and her family were the only ones saved out of the entire city? Was it random that she lived at that time and not fifty years before or fifty years after? (We could go deep with this.)
Do you think she was just a random person available at the moment? I do not believe anything to do with her life and situation was random. Not at all. Let’s keep going:
Could Rahab have had any idea of any of this until it happened? Could she have had any inkling that she would play a role so significant in history that you and I are Believers today because of what she did? I do not believe so.
I do believe that it is just the same with us. So, then, what are the implications of her situation for us today? It is this: We do not always know why we are who we are, where we are, doing what we are doing, when we are doing it, or with whom we are doing it. We do not … but God does.
Learning to trust Him in this brings great peace. And in time, all the questions come together to form an “Aha!” moment, a “So that’s why You did that!” epiphany. (FYI: I call epiphanies BGOs–Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious.)
I hope you can take comfort and find hope in this today that when life seems to not make sense–and that may be often–you can trust that God has already made sense of it on your behalf and is working for your good in every situation you encounter. You may not see it yet, but that does not mean that it is not so.
You are not a random occurrence. You are not an accident. You were in His mind before you were born. Read all of Psalm 139. David’s words express this best:
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psa 139:15-16 NIV)
You are there. Right now. So am I. So is Rahab. So is everyone who ever lived, is living, and ever will live. We all are there. I don’t know about you, but that just makes my hard days a little bit easier.
Never doubt for a moment that you are here … on purpose. That being true, you can therefore live your life on purpose and in God’s purpose.
From ministry friend Randall Vaughn.
(c) 2024 Randall Vaughn • All Rights Reserved • http://www.e-min.org