Before you were born...

Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations

Psalm 71:6 ESV

[6] Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

[4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 

    So now...Let me take you somewhere. 

     Often, as a story-teller, my imagination tries to fill in the blanks of the untold parts in a story.  So come with me for a moment and imagine what it might have been like right before God breathed life into your human spirit and knitted you inside your Mother's womb.

     Imagine this...

     You, a preciously loved and perfectly made child, placed at the beginning of a road. It’s not at all familiar and it’s full of things you’ve never seen and don’t understand.  God tells you that it is the road leading through your life on earth and that it ends in eternity where you’ll be back with Him forever.  

     Then you watch, as your Father, the creator of all living things, sends someone down the road ahead of you in the greatest of love.  “This is my Son,” He tells you, “of whom I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3: 1 Mark 1:11, 2 Peter 1:17, Luke 3:22.  “His name is Jesus.”

    You watch as this Jesus clears your path and lights your way.  He gathers up everything dark and ugly and takes it upon his back.  The pain of this is unbearable, the terrible weight of it brings the Son to his knees before the Father.

     “But I love her,” the Father says as He helps the Son back to his feet.  “Go on to the cross now.  This child is worth it.” 

     So Jesus does what his Father tells him.  A bit further down the road you see him sit and break bread at a table with twelve He loves.  Luke 22:19, Just after that, you hear his cries to the Father from a garden, Luke 22:42, Mark 14:36, and then you see his hands get hammered into a board with nails.  His blood is shed.  

     Your Heavenly Father cries as the 

Son utters from the cross, “It is finished,” John 19:28-30 and Jesus takes his last breath.     

     “Go on now.”  Your Father says as He gives you a pat.  “I have chosen your family.  They are waiting. Your life on earth is about to begin.”

     You place your foot onto the terribly stained road and notice it is dark and full of deep ruts.  “I don’t like this road, Daddy.”  You tell him.  “Im scared those ruts will swallow me up.”

     “You must go down it.”  He tells you with love.  “It is simply the way it must be. And know this too... you will leave your own ugly stain behind on this road because you have become a daughter of Eve and it is your sin nature now.  Soon, a time will come and you will turn away from me.”

     “No Daddy! Please?  Don’t make me go. I want to stay here with you?”

     “You cannot. ”  He says firmly.  “You must walk in faith and trust me.  My Glory will be everywhere so if you look for me, you will see me.  When my Son Jesus died, He saved you from death and left with you a helper, the Holy Spirit, who I sent in His name.  It will teach you and help you remember the things you've learned from me.  John 14:16-17, John 14:26.         So study my word and ask the Holy Spirit for revelation.  Do this, and all truth you know will return. Then you will remember and know my plans for you.  Jeremiah 29:11 These are the things that will lead you back to me.”

     With crocodile tears you take your first small step and your Father engraves your name into the palm of His hand.  Isaiah 49:16  “I know every hair on your head,” Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7,  “and every sparrow that falls.” Matthew 10:29 “So you run along now.”

  You turn around for one last look and plead.       “Please Daddy. I’m not ready?” 

     “You are ready, sweet child. I know everything that is coming and I'll never let you out on my sight. You’ll see me at the other end of this road.”  He points to something very far away.  “It is glorious. Just remember Eternity. Its what youll be living for."

     And then, as you start to walk away, God knits you together inside your mother’s womb for your time on earth, Psalm 139:13, where you will form and grow.  

    Then, your Father in heaven picks up the Book of Life and places it on a table shining with gold and emeralds.  He opens it to your special chapter and looks at the topography of the road you are now on.  He records every twist and turn, your every sin and every praise.  Rev. 3:5, Rev. 20:12, Rev. 21:27 In the place where He finds you on a mountaintop in communion with Him, he draws a heart.  Your every thought and word has been recorded, so with his palms open and laid upon the pages of your life, He sits, and closes his eyes. 

     A tear rolls down his face.

    It is then that the Son comes alongside him and places his hand on the Fathers shoulder.  “She will find her way back to us, Father.”  He tells him.

     The Father nods his head, “I know she will.”  He pats the hand of His Son and then wipes the tear from His cheek.  “But she gets lost for quite some time and the enemy’s strongholds against this little one are great.  Her life gets very dark.”  The Father pauses and another tear falls from his eye.  “I miss her so much while she’s away.”

     “It is because your love is so great, Father.”  The Son says.  Romans 8:38-39, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 103:11-12

     “And she finds her way back because of your sacrifice and grace from the cross.”  Says the Father.  Ephesians 2:8, Romans 5:8, 1John 4:16

     “I only do what I see you do.”  Jesus adds.  John 5:19

     “Yes.”  The Father stands. “I know.”   

    He embraces the Son and closes the Book of Life.  Together they walk to the doorway.  The Father smiles.  “Now my Son, what are the Angels going to sing to me today?” Zephaniah 3:17