Your Life Matters

“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).

Before you were born, God saw you; He saw the potential in you, He saw the unique and wonderful plan He had for you to glorify Him. Read this scripture again. Do you realize that God knew you before your parents did? Before your parents named you, God called you His. The world judges us based on our last name, actions, or what our families are like, but Jeremiah 1:5 reveals that our identity and life are not based on earthly things but based on our heavenly Father, who is God.

You might be thinking, “That’s all well and great, but I’ve done a lot of crazy stuff in my life; God probably doesn’t want to associate with me.” Let me tell you a little secret…we all fall short. See, there was this thing that happened a long time ago where sin entered the world due to the actions of this couple called Adam and Eve. To read about their life, I suggest reading Genesis 3.  Before I go further, let me give you a visual of what sin is like. If you don’t like to paint, I apologize in advance for the example I’m about to give. When you are born, your life is like a blank white canvas, no blemishes, no scratches, just bright, pure, and white. However, when you get a little older, there are negative temptations that become noticeable. For instance, getting angry at your parents, stealing a cookie, or lying. As we continue to grow up, these negative temptations can look different. When we commit these negative actions its called sin; it is like smearing black paint on our clean canvas. What used to be so pure is now blemished. Our lives can mirror this blemished canvas in so many ways. Your canvas could be chalked with black paint that’s been layered for so many years from doing things that bring shame. However, friend, I am here to tell you that your canvas/life is not ruined or hopeless. You see, despite sin’s hold on our lives, there is someone who died for our sins. Let's look at Romans 3:23-26,

 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴ Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, ²⁶ for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

I know, I know that’s a lot to take in, but let’s apply this scripture to my earlier visual. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, which you will have the opportunity to do at the end of this, your black paint-crusted canvas becomes as pure white as the day you were born. Your past mistakes and guilt are washed away; those condemning thoughts that whisper to you in the middle of the night have no power over you anymore. You want to know why? Because Jesus defeated Satan, and all those negative things are his tactics to keep you down. Still a little skeptical about this whole being washed clean? Let me drive my point home with this scripture found in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

Salvation is not something that needs to be earned; all you have to do is cry out to Jesus, and He will answer you. He loves you and your life matters so much to Him. Remember what I said at the beginning of this article: God knew you in your mother’s womb. If you want to be reconciled to Christ and walk in His divine plan that He has ordained for you, I want you to say this prayer below with your heart and your lips out loud.

“Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sin. Wash me and cleanse me. Set me free. Jesus, thank you that You died for me. I believe that You are risen from the dead and that You’re coming back again for me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Give me a passion for the lost, a hunger for the things of God, and a holy boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am saved; I’m born again, I’m forgiven, and I’m on my way to Heaven because I have Jesus in my heart. Amen.”

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your life is brand new! You do not have to face the problems of everyday life alone anymore because you have God, your Father, living on the inside of you. He will guide you through His Holy Spirit and advocate for you when lies try to pin you down. Always remember to run to Him, not from Him, because He loves you and wants the best for you. Your life matters, and God has a divine purpose for you! You are loved, you are chosen, and you are set free by God!

Thank you for reading,

Your Sister in Christ, Makayla