By Van Yandell
Jeremiah 1: 5 “ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou came forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
From the time we enter school, we have been taught individuality. No two of us are alike. We do not look alike; we do not think alike and our personalities, interests and abilities are as varied as the stars in the universe.
From kindergarten through our senior year in high school, the concept of the individual has been emphasized. Our emotional, mental, spiritual and physical variances define us as individuals.
At our conception, the chance of us becoming who we are is one chance in hundreds of millions. Had our father’s sperm that made us, not “won the race,” we would be a completely different person.
The human female ovary usually releases only one egg per cycle (ovulation). The human male, on the other extreme, produces literally millions of sperm every day of his life. One source states that production rate in the average male is 1500 sperm per second.
I asked AI, “If my mother’s egg had been fertilized by a different one of my father’s sperm, would I be a different person?” The answer received is profoundly convincing and specific.
“Yes, absolutely! If a different sperm from your father had fertilized your mother’s egg, you would be a genetically unique individual, essentially a different person, much like a fraternal twin or sibling, but still sharing the same mother and father; every sperm carries a slightly different mix of your father’s DNA, so a different combination with the egg results in a new, unique genetic blueprint.”
To consider my existence is one chance in millions is a little scary but it is also a direct implication. Should I be happy or sad at my existence? This opinion changes daily for many of us but we must consider the why of our existence.
Psalm 139:13-14 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.”
Many of us have preached and taught God’s creation is specific, planned, and deliberate. Did God actually direct the union of our parents’ sperm and egg? Once again, why do we exist as we are?
In the leading scripture, Jeremiah 1: 5, conclusively stated is that God created Jeremiah for a reason and a specific purpose. Can we apply that reasoning to ourselves? The answers to that question of course will be debated for generations to come.
Some argue this verse applies only to Jeremiah. “I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” This could imply a specific reference only to Jeremiah? Had this been the case, why are so many other millions of people obviously used by God to accomplish some seemingly predetermined task?
Did God create Mohammed, Buddha and Abraham accidentally or did He have a plan? If God had a plan for you and me, no doubt He had a plan for them.
Did God create the notable evangelists, missionaries, doctors, scientists, welders and truck drivers with specificity? In this writer’s opinion: Absolutely!
To think of ourselves as biological accidents is depressing and lessens our reasons for living. Believing that a spiritual supernatural God exists and planned our being is questionable to many. Those that believe in and follow the teachings of an omniscient and omnipotent God, maintained is a certainty.
For those that prefer to believe we all are mutations and our existence is purely accidental, consider the uniqueness of your mind and body.
Could the perfection of our cardiovascular systems, our digestive systems and our brain functions have evolved by accident? Could have the regeneration of our blood/ bone marrow, skin, and the growth of our fingernails be coincidental? Those questions are yours to answer.
Whereas many of us have more questions than answers, what makes sense? Does God know in advance what we will do; what we will become and specifically, how we will promote His Kingdom? Some of us believe “Of course He does!”
As I have grown older, I have come to understand, I know nothing. All one can do is analyze and evaluate available information, and those things we see/witness and form our thinking on is that existing information.
It appears our best (and possibly only) source of reliable information is the Holy Bible. I have come to believe everything else is speculation, opinion, fiction or fantasy. God’s word proves itself from within itself.
Can we determine beyond our own thoughts the will of God? Many believe His Holy Spirit teaches us and even in some cases, manipulates us.
Thus, the verse Proverbs 16:3 “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established,” takes on a completely distinctive meaning and a separate meaning for each of us.
Submission to God’s will and plan for us has a new and different meaning as we realize our differences. As Jesus told Ananias (Acts 9: 15) that Paul “is my chosen vessel,” each of us has a matchless and irreplaceable purpose.
You are not an accident! The teaching of Savior Jesus as being the one that provides for us eternal salvation by our faith based belief in Him is a teaching to be told to the world. Evidence points to this as a substantiated fact; we are not accidental beings and we have a purpose.
Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and commissioned missionary.