I sometimes joke about my tendency to procrastinate: “The good Lord put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of tasks; I am now so far behind I shall never die!” You may or may not appreciate my humor, but there is a grain of truth there. God made us with purpose, care, and intention. He knows everything about us, is present with us wherever we go, and has all power over heaven and earth. Because He made us, we are accountable to Him. Whether people acknowledge God as Creator or not, every person will one day stand before Him and answer for how they lived.
That truth can make people uncomfortable. If God created us, then we do not belong only to ourselves. We were made by Someone, for Someone, and for a reason. Our lives are not accidents, and our choices matter. God knows us completely because He is the One who formed us.
David understood this. He wrote, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13, NLT). God did not merely create Adam and then step away from His creation. He continues to form every human life with personal attention and wisdom.
There has never been, nor will there ever be, another person exactly like you. Your genes, DNA, personality, abilities, experiences, and the way God has shaped your heart are uniquely yours. You are not a copy. You are a custom-made creation of God, placed in this particular moment of history for His purposes.
That means no one else can do exactly what God has called you to do. Others may have similar gifts, backgrounds, or interests, but they cannot take your place in God’s plan. He has given you opportunities, relationships, and responsibilities that belong to you. Your task is not to become a copy of someone else. Your task is to faithfully become the person God created you to be.
Comparison can be dangerous. When we constantly want another person’s life, gifts, experiences, or recognition, we can lose sight of God’s work in us. We may begin to think that we are inferior because our spiritual journey does not look like someone else’s. But God does not deal with every one of His children in the same way. He knows what each person needs. His work in your life is personal because you are personal to Him.
Instead of wishing we were someone else, we should thank God for the way He made us. David said, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it” (Psalm 139:14, NLT). This is not pride. It is humility. It recognizes that the glory belongs to God, not to us. We are valuable because we are His workmanship.
God knew us before anyone else did. David continued, “You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb” (Psalm 139:15, NLT). Before we took our first breath, God saw us. Before we understood anything about life, He already knew every detail of our days. “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16, NLT).
What a comfort it is to worship a God who knows us and stays near us. He created you for today, not by mistake and not without purpose. There is only one you. You are a pattern God will never repeat. That does not make you independent from Him; it makes you responsible to seek His will for your life.
David was overwhelmed by this truth: “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” (Psalm 139:17, NLT). God’s thoughts toward His children are not shallow or careless. His plans are deeper and wiser than we can fully understand.
This truth also reminds us of the value of every unborn child. A baby in the womb is not merely tissue or a medical term. Every unborn life is known by God and formed by His hand. The Lord told Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT).
Each of us is custom made by God. Thank Him today for who you are. Ask Him to help you live out the purpose for which He created you. Do not seek the praise of people above the pleasure of God. You are wonderfully made, deeply known, and called to do His will.
Blessings on you and yours,
Jim Black
P.S. if you’d like to read previous ruminations of mine they can be found at https://blog.salvationarmyconcordca.org
Appendix: Scripture References
Psalm 139:13 (NLT): “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:14 (NLT): “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” Psalm 139:15 (NLT): “You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.” Psalm 139:16 (NLT): “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:17 (NLT): “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT): “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart.”