The Days We Were Made For
Lisa Cooke

Psalm 139:14-16 is a treasured portion of Scripture for many. It begins, “For you formed my inward parts…” and proceeds to describe God’s participation in our formation from our mothers’ wombs. This is important for all of us to understand if we are to have the wholesome and holy awareness of our life’s value to God.

Verse 16 holds a special insight into our worth as it pertains to the days of our life span: “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (ESV). Some translations use the word “members” for the word “days” which gives a different idea of the embryo being formed into a body. But various commentaries like the word “days” as the translation and for our contemplation, we will see this verse in the light of our days being formed for us by God.

It gives significance to each day of our life when we are aware that the day we are living is one “the Lord has made” (Psalm 118:24) from our very early embryonic state. We have reason to “rejoice and be glad” in every new day because there is purpose ordained by our Creator God in it. Whether we are aware of it or not, we were made for the very days in which we are privileged to live, so let us open our eyes to all that our Father has planned for us.

With the current events of our time, especially in the past month or so, we get the feeling that these are important days to be living in as a Christian. We desperately need the love of God to be manifested in our lives toward others, so that they may know Him. Who knows how much longer we will be in this world? God knows, and has appointed each day to carry His will into the current events we face.

How can we be prepared for our pre-ordained future? I’ve thought of a few words that can be used as inspiration to take responsibility for fully engaging each day for the glory of God.

Passion

We must stir up ourselves deep within our soul and spirit to seek and understand what the will of the Lord is for each new day. Some days will seem to have more happening, but never underestimate what could be going on behind the scenes. Often the Lord will use us and we never even recognized it. We need to be passionate about fulfilling the desires of the Father’s heart for each and every day.

Practice

Practice makes progress, and every day is an opportunity to practice what we know about living out the will of God. We must begin with the knowledge we have gained to this point, and build on it each day with the new mercies God gives us. He wants us to know His will! We can trust Him to reveal the intricate details and give us the grace we need to implement His instructions.

Patience

Sometimes in our zeal we get ahead of ourselves and ahead of God. We can find ourselves fretting over not moving fast enough, not accomplishing as much as we imagined that we could. Our faith is what holds us steady in patience as we believe that God is at work within us, to will and to do of His good pleasure. The timing of our assignments are in the Lord’s hands, so we can wait with patience as He directs us.

Preparation

Always value the art of preparation, whether it is getting an education, working as an apprentice, or teaching yourself. Every painter knows a beautiful paint job is dependent on the preparation of the surface to be painted—the work that must be done before brushing on the coat of paint. We must be willing to prepare ourselves for God to use us as He wills, whatever that may entail. Spiritually speaking, this is what occurs when we yield ourselves to sanctification: our natural lives are being made holy for the Master’s use with increased effectiveness.

Purpose

It is for God’s purposes that He forms our days before we were even born. To pursue His purpose for our lives means we give up any personally developed ambitions that don’t coincide with His divinely designed and ordered “day plan.” Whether we know the details concerning God’s purpose for our lives or whether we are still in the process of discovering our reason for existence, we can live secure and confident in the knowledge that He made this day on purpose.

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14). Knowing that God has made you for this day, live it in confidence that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). All you need to live a glorious life in honor of the Father has been provided for you from the beginning of your very being. You were made for these days!