“The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT)

These were the very words Jeremiah heard God speak to him. Can we even imagine?

And these are the very words, each of us as we listen attentively, will hear the Father speak into our hearts, “I knew you. I have set you apart. I have appointed a task, a position just for you.”

This verse reveals important truths about God:

• “I knew you.” God knows all things and God knew Jeremiah. He had chosen him to fill a specific role and purpose even before Jeremiah was conceived.
• “I formed you.” God formed Jeremiah giving him specific personality traits and abilities fitted for the role Jeremiah would fill.
• “I appointed you.” God gave Jeremiah the position as a prophet to the nations and His people.

What does this mean for us today?

He formed each one of us.

The word ‘formed’ is used to create the image of a potter who works with clay. He fashions it, creating with a particular purpose in mind.

God has a specific purpose in mind for each one of us, and He creates us with specific talents to fulfill those very purposes. He forms us and equips us, which is why we find ourselves living in this time frame and in this very place. We are …

living in the town,
working in the job,
married to the church,
raising those children,
participating in a particular ministry,
in that small group,

not by accident but by His unique design. You are the only one who can do what you do. You are the only you this world has, and you are a gift to this world.

He set us apart.

God has, in essence, reserved each of us for this time, for His purposes. We do not find ourselves here by coincidence. His desire is for our lives to be used for Him. Even with our shortcomings, our lives will be extraordinary as we submit to His plans. The forming and setting apart both occur with specific tasks in mind which He ordained for us to do.

He has appointed us.

This means He has placed us to achieve something specifically in and through our lives. He has placed us where He knows our lives will bear much fruit, impacting the people who surround us.

We can think of being formed, set apart and appointed in the same way we would think of tending to flowers.

Several years ago, I was made the chief caretaker for imported, exotic flowers from Hawaii for a grand opening event. These flowers were beautiful, expensive, and stressed me out. I had to care for them, and keep them alive for four days, until they could be presented at the event. There were certain criteria to keeping them alive – stems trimmed, the correct water temperature, room temperatures which did not fluctuate, and no drafts. All so they could achieve their purpose of being at the event.

In this very same manner, God has “planted” you. Life around you is divinely designed with the right conditions to bring about growth so that you will be used to your maximum potential for His glory.

Your life – planted
for His purposes,
for His glory.