“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

God created you and placed you on planet earth. That you are alive at this particular time is no accident. God knew that you are exactly what this world needs. So God created you, birthed you, and placed you in your life right now.

God is not asking you to be Mother Teresa. God is not asking you to be Billy Graham. God is not asking you to be Pastor Bill or Pastor Brad. God is calling you to be you. God is calling you to be the best version of you, just the way God intended you to be.

You discovering your place and role in God’s kingdom is exactly what God desires of you. I love the way Dr. Seuss put it.

If you’d never been born, well then what would you be?
You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree!…
Or worse than that…Why, you might be a wasn’t.
A wasn’t has no fun at all. No, he doesn’t.
A wasn’t just isn’t. He just isn’t present.
But you…You ARE YOU!  And, now isn’t that pleasant!…
Today you are you! That is truer than true!
There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
Shout loud, “I am lucky to be what I am!”
Thank goodness I’m not just a clam or a ham
Or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!…
I am what I am!  That’s the great thing to be!

Be the you God created you to be. That’s exactly what our world needs.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

Nothing happening today is catching God off guard.

God is not panicking because of the violence, the broken homes, the broken hearts. God is not wondering how he will minister to people. God is not stressed about how God will bless, impact, and bless people for decades to come.

God, in his perfect sovereignty knew at this particular time, our family, our spouse, our children, our church, our community would need God to intervene. So God created you with your exact gifts, your particular talents, your particular abilities and temperament for your particular place in life so that he can meet those needs through you.

Just let that sink in.

Because you and I are uniquely gifted and because we have been uniquely fashioned, there is a ministry and service that only you and I can do with God’s help. Should you or I choose not to serve God, there will be a hole left by our absence that can never be replaced.

Only you can do what you were created to do.

Here’s what this means: The church is only fully vital, fully vigorous when every Christ-follower engages and serves Christ through their lives.

Simply put, if you don’t bring it, it won’t be brought!

Now, let that sink in.

Rick Warren, in his book, “Purpose Driven Life” says it like this:

We don’t realize how truly unique each of us is. DNA molecules can unite in an infinite number of ways. The number is 10 to the 2,400,000,000th power. That number is the likelihood that you’d every find somebody just like you. If you were to write that number with each zero being one inch wide, you’d need a strip of paper 37,000 miles long!

When God made you, He broke the mold. There has never been, and never will be, anyone exactly like you.

Christian! Engage! Serve! Give

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27).

“Ugh!!! This day was grueling.”
“It was a battle all day long.”
“I almost quit today.”
“I lost my will to fight…I gave into temptation…I may have lost today, but God’s not done with me…I will keep fighting on.”

How come we don’t see posts like that on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok?

Social media is not helping Christians. It paints a false picture of mostly joy and happiness. It’s so easy to post cute memes and passages of hope, of everything working out. But that’s not reflective of life.

In reality, much of life on this side of eternity is a constant battle.

• Jesus tells us, “I have told you these tings, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
• The Apostle Paul wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worthy comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
• The writer of 1 Peter reminds us, “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

Most of life is spiritual warfare, constantly being tempted and tested. It is rigorous training to beat our bodies into submission to the will of Christ.

It is a constant struggle. But it is all worth it. Because we were created for eternity. This world is preparing the saints for eternal life.

One of the problems with modern day Christianity is that it is being shaped and informed more by social media posts than the truths of scripture.

So keep reading. Keep your eyes on Christ. Stay in God’s word.