As I started the book of Jeremiah, I read the very familiar verse…

Before I shaped you in the womb,
   I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
   I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
   that’s what I had in mind for you.   -Jeremiah 1:5 The Message

The problem with very familiar passages is that we sometimes know them by memory, but no longer by heart.  As I read this verse, I was in awe of what the Lord was saying to Jeremiah.

Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you…

Before I post anything on this blog, a lot of thought goes into it.  I read a passage several times.  I make notes.  I pray about what message God is trying to relay to me.  I often read a commentary on the passage to be sure that I am not posting something that is not accurate or not an appropriate application of a certain verse. 

To say He formed us indicates a physical process.  He, with loving hands, knit us together in our mother’s womb.   But before that…He knew us.  He thought about us.  He dreamed about us.  He knew what personality He wanted us to have.  He knew what strengths He would give to us.  He knew what struggles we would encounter.  He took the time to know us before He ever shaped us.  How awesome is that!

Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you…

Something about this just makes me smile.  He made plans for me…not just any plans, mind you…holy plans.  He has allowed me to play a part in His holy plan.  And, because He knew me and shaped me long ago, I am thoroughly equipped to play the part He has written for me.  We all want to matter, don’t we?  We want to have a purpose and feel like our existence was intentional.  That is exactly what this verse is telling us.  There are no accidents  or unexpected blessings in God’s family.  He thought of us, physically created us and has a specific holy plan for our lives. 

…that’s what I had in mind for you…

This reminds me of a song that a friend of mine sings…When Christ was on the cross, I was on His mind. 

A couple of evenings ago, I was packing lunches for my girls and I snuck some chocolate chips into Emily’s lunch.  They were just a few chips that I had leftover after making cookies and I mixed them in with her bag of crackers.  When I picked her up that next afternoon from school she could not wait to hug me.  Then, on the way home, she said That was sweet of you to think of me.  You knew I would like that.  I looked at her in the mirror.  She was engrossed in her movie, but just had the sweetest smile on her face.  Did she love the chocolate?  Yes.  But, after the chocolate was gone, what mattered was that I had thought of her.  Though she was not with me that evening as I packed lunches…she was on my mind.   And that meant something to her. 

Those girls are always on my mind.   And, even better…We are always on God’s mind.