I Am Not An Accident
In Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life” – he makes a profound statement. He says,
“You are not an accident. … Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, he expected it.”
In our Scripture reading for today – Jeremiah learns this fact first hand when he hears God say:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV)
Now most of us may not be prophets – but I think that the first part of this verse applies to all of us. God says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” He goes on to say: “Before you were born I sanctified you.” He has set us apart – He has made us special. You are not an accident.
The voice of God comes to announce our extraordinary worth. This worth is inseparably linked to the fact that we were made by God and for God. Our worth to God started before we were born. We have invaluable worth because we were born in the mind of God – even before we entered our mother’s womb. We were valuable to God before the world began — because we were already on His mind and in His imagination. This fact is something that can never change or ever be taken away from us. It is the something we can never lose.
David wrote:
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works.” Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)
God prescribed every single detail of my creation. He deliberately chose my race, my gender, the color of my hair, the color of my skin, the color of my eyes – but guess what – He has done the same for you. You see – I am not an accident – and neither are you.
Can you imagine what Jeremiah must have felt when he heard God say: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5)
Here at this moment Jeremiah hears the voice of God – the Creator of the Universe – He who put the stars in place – He who formed the world and all that we know – from the telescopic to the microscopic – and God speaks to Jeremiah and says: “Jeremiah – you are special. You have been on my mind a long, long, long time.”
How would you feel?
I think that I would echo the words of Psalm eight:
“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” Psalms 8:4 (NKJV)
In other words – how important are we – that God should even pay attention to us? Yet He does! He says we are very important.
The theme of our value before God can be found throughout the Bible.
In Ephesians chapter two Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus and says:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
Christians – this verse says – we are God’s workmanship – created in Christ Jesus – for the purpose of performing good works – which God prepared for us from the foundation world. Not only has God created each and every one of us unique – He has a purpose for our lives. I am not an accident – I have infinite value – because of who I am in Christ.
Jesus taught on our value when He spoke three parables in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. In the fifteenth chapter of Luke Jesus spoke about a lost sheep – a lost coin –– and a lost son. Allow me to tell you those stories now. Jesus said:
THE LOST SHEEP
"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ’Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.” Luke 15:4-7 (MSG)
THE LOST COIN
Jesus went on to say:
"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ’Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." Luke 15:8-10 (MSG)
THE LOST SON
Then he said,
"There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ’Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’ "So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any. "That brought him to his senses. He said, ’All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father. "When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed
him. The son started his speech: ’Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’ "But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ’Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time. "All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ’Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’ "The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ’Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ "His father said, ’Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours— but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’ " Luke 15:11-32 (MSG)
RELATIONSHIP IS MOST IMPORTANT
In American we place great value on youth, beauty, athletic ability, intelligence, education, wealth and fame. But I want you to notice that the Bible places more value is on relationship than anything else. The shepherd has lost HIS sheep. The woman had lost HER coin. The father has lost HIS son. The loss was great because of the relationship that existed. God says you have great value because: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV)
God knows me – I have great value – I am not an accident.
Back when I was going through seminary I worked as a custodian for a county school office. The school was designed to help the developmentally disabled and mentally challenged children in the county. These were children – who for the most part – would never be able to care for themselves. Many of them would never be able to contribute anything to society – they are totally dependent on others to take care of them. So of them could not speak – they were not physically attractive. They would never have a relationship with other people except for their family and their caretakers. They will never earn an income. Some of them could not even control their bodily functions. Of what value are they? According to the Scripture they are of immense value to God. The Bible says:
"Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine.” Ezekiel 18:4 (NKJV)
They are as much a part of his creation as the teachers, doctors and nurses who take care for them. Their worth to society is the very fact that they dependent on society. They are God’s gift to us. God is teaching us the value of taking care of people who can never return the favor in any way. And yet, those who work with them can tell you that they receive a great deal from these people. God is showing us the value of human life when life is all these individuals have.
FAMILY DNA
It has been a long time since my grandfather passed away. It was quite a few years after that that my father died. But there was a very interesting thing that I noticed at one point. When I placed a picture of my grandfather and father side by side – they looked very much alike. They were very similar in appearance. People tell that I look very much like my father – and I believe that to be true. You see DNA has a lot to do with that. My grandfather passed his DNA to my father who passed his DNA on to me. You could tell from appearance that my father was the son of his father – just as you can tell from appearance that I am the son of my father. If my DNA were to be tested there would be no doubt that I of the “Shepard” blood line – there is value in that. The Shepard family has never been wealthy – but there is a rich heritage associated with the name – and I am an heir to that heritage. I often wonder if there is such a thing as spiritual DNA. The Bible says:
“God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)
We have great value because we were created in the image of God. I have been created in His image – just as you have – just as every human being has. Your life finds meaning only in a relationship with the God in whose image you were created. He has a purpose and plan for your life that is different from every other person who was ever created. God says,
“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
You are so important to him that, as Jesus said,
“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 (NKJV)
Do you beat yourself up because you are not pretty enough – tall enough – smart enough? Do you cut yourself down because you feel you are lacking abilities? God said:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you." Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV)
God has made you – who you are. Before He formed you – in your mother’s womb – He knew you.
A few years ago I was teaching a Bible study class through the book – The Purpose Driven Life. After teaching chapter two which is titled – “You Are Not An Accident” – the pianist of the church came up to thank me. It turns out that she was adopted as an infant. Even though she was adopted by a loving and kind family – who raised her as though she were their own – when she found out about the adoption she questioned her self-worth. She said, “Thank you Pastor Tom – I realize now – I am not an accident.” Folks – let me tell you – no matter what your situation is or was – you are not an accident – God has had you on His mind for a long, long, long time.
