Life is! (not Random) Pt. 1

10 minutes ago Mom said "Gianna, it's time for you to be in bed." To my credit, I am. So is the laptop. I can explain! I sat down to have my devotions when suddenly I was violently overwhelmed in an ocean wave of words. Whereupon I calmly took out my handmade wooden pen and wrote. My entry was largely regarding life in a less-than-general sort of way. Read on.

"Every time I enter a new situation I have new emotions, new stresses and a new monocle. Each time something different happens, I respond in a different way. In short, where I am, what I am doing and what happens to me interpret how I view life. I have thought all of the following at least once before.

"Life is beautiful. Life isn't fair. Life is terrible. Life is embarrassing. Life is very sad. Life is awesome. Life is good. Life is stressful. Life is easy. Life is hard. Life is insane.

"But each time, I interpreted all of life through a stained and limited monocle. Now the question becomes How are we to view Life according to God's intentions?"

That was inspiring. I've decided to look for God's view(s) of life throughout the Bible (this does not mean I will be reading the Bible in a month or anything) and write about them for all to read.

The first scripture that came to mind was Jeremiah 1:5-10, "'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.' 'Ah, Sovereign Lord,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.' But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.'"

I know that's a lot, but what I got out of it is that

"Life is not Random."

I know that some of you are instantly protesting my boldness. You like Random! He's your constant companion, your closest confidant, etc. Randomness in creativity, projects, photography, writing; that is not what I'm discussing. I think that God clearly says those verses that our lives are not happenstance. God puts us in situations for God's glory. God gives you gifts for His magnification. God gives you friends and acquaintances who need the words that you have to speak, the pictures you have to draw, the doodles you have to doodles, the fish you want to catch...(ok, ok. I give on that one.)

But seriously. Before we even boasted of being 2 cells worth, God knew us. Before the doctor said, "It's a girl(boy)!" God had set apart your audience. God had and still has a plan for my life and your life.

Before I tuck in and hit my snooze button, I have polish up this facet of our newly discovered, many-faceted gem. No spiritual information is really useful until you can apply it to your life in a meaningful way. So how does Life's lack of Randomness enhance our remaining time on this planet?

This is the time where you hear how I think this can be applied, and then you leave a comment to let me know how you agree, disagree, or can add to my thoughts.

My 'umble opinion: Knowing that God has a plan for my life is reassuring. I can pray for guidance with confidence, knowing that there is a plan and that if I keep seeking His will, I will not stray from it. Also from time to time I sit down beside the trail for a moment and look back down the mountainside to see how far I've come.
When I see things in hindsight, I'm able to recognize how things that I regarded as discouraging and things that I thought must hinder God's plan were really surprises designed specially for me. A rock in the trail may have forced me to walk further - but then my detour brought me through a beautiful copse of birtch. Missing the bank and landing in the stream seemed pointless at the time but my wet footprints left a guiding mark on somebody's map.

*Yawn* "Goodnight."