Day 12: Before I was formed, did you {write} my story?

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book before
one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!   Psalm 139:16-17

I was pondering the word for today {write} from Kate’s list of 31 Five-Minute Friday prompts, and reading again through Ruth I saw two paths for this word {write}.  I pondered and I read and I chewed on various Scriptures.

One train of thought – God writes His Word on our hearts.  Jeremiah 31:33.  Another train of thought led me toward Psalm 139 – all the days for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  

I prayed.  I added the Scripture above to my post last night.  I went to sleep believing Holy Spirit would speak to me about His direction this morning.  As my alarm went off at 5:30 AM and I silently awoke to the Lord’s thoughts for me today, the words of a song on the radio next to our bed pierced my consciousness.  She was singing the words to Psalm 139.  I’ll have to research later today to find this beautiful song.  What’s clear to me this morning is that God has a story to write today.  He had already written it.

Psalm 139 – Was this true of Ruth?  I have to be honest this morning, it kind of blows me away with excitement the Psalm was written by Ruth’s great-grandson, David.

Is this true of me?  You?

I think this might be the essence of faith.  Do I believe I was God’s idea?  Do I believe, as God was writing His grand narrative of all creation, God decided to create me?

What does it mean – all my days were written in His book before I was formed?  And what about free will?  I wonder if I am the only one who feels a prick in my flesh when I ponder the idea of God writing my story.  The “hey, that’s not fair” prick that somehow feels cheated if I don’t get to write my own story.

In the book of Ruth (I’m still marinating in chapters 1 & 2), I see a foreigner, an outsider, who was purposely chosen by God to know Him, to be adopted into His family, and to become a mother, grandmother and eventually great-grandmother of a king.  She couldn’t possibly have known the story her creator was writing – had already written – for her life.

Yet, I see Ruth – called by name by God to be His own.  It is tempting to believe Ruth chose God as we read her famous words to Naomi.  “Your God will be my God.”  But here, Ruth is using the formal name of God.  To me, it is as if Ruth doesn’t know Him yet.  She’s been introduced by Naomi.  Maybe if Ruth goes to Bethlehem with Naomi, she will meet her God.  Maybe she’ll be accepted in…

But God has already written the story Ruth cannot fully see because she’s living in the middle of it.  Later, as we listen in on Ruth’s conversation with Boaz, we catch a glimpse of the budding relationship between Ruth and God.  God is becoming personal to Ruth through her interpersonal relationships with God’s people.  Through Boaz (someone other than Naomi) Ruth learned she truly had found favor with God’s people and God Himself.  

Her story – Ruth’s – was being written moment by moment.  She had free will.  And yet her story – the days ordained for her had been written (by God) before any of them came to be.  I don’t come close to grasping this truth.  However, I receive this truth for myself.  In this truth, I am filled with hope, joy, and peace believing my life was chosen, my story was written by my creator and I was God’s idea to be included in His story.

Before I was formed, my Creator wrote my story.  It must be GOOD.

Ponders:

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12  

After reviewing 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 and reading the whole of Psalm 139 I wonder what Holy Spirit wants you and me to know about the idea of God being the author of our story.  I think I am going to chew on these truths for a while.  How about you?

• Will you enter into a conversation with Jesus?  Lord Jesus, what do You want me to know for my life?  I recognize in Hebrews 12 You are referred to as the author of my faith.  In Isaiah, You have chosen me and called me by name.  Speak to me, Lord, Your servant is listening.
• Will you ponder and journal the Author’s response?  Will you allow Holy Spirit to write the Word of God on your heart?  This is the way of true transformation and with it comes peace in knowing you belong to the One who fashioned you and is continuing to fashion you after His own heart.    For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.  And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Jeremiah 31:33
• I wonder if you might share in a comment something the Lord, the Author of your life and faith, is revealing to you at this place on your journey.  I appreciate you adding value to our conversation.

Eyes on Jesus… you’re Shining!