God knit me together in my mother’s womb.

13For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139)

This verse is from the psalm appointed for yesterday which was the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany.  The theme for the day was “follow me”.  The Gospel tells of the call of Phillip by Jesus to follow him and Phillip’s response to that call.

For many years I have been engaged by the idea that God knew me before I was knit together in my mother’s womb.  In effect, God created me as a unique individual with my unique DNA.  The implication of this is that I was created to be a and live this life in a specific way.  I does not mean that I have only one specific calling in life. The possibilities for living out that calling are too diverse to restrict it to one specific path.  However, we are called to find the path that will best fit the purpose that God intends for us.  If you answer the call to follow Jesus you will have the opportunity to discover each day where Jesus is calling you and how you can best follow him.

The opening verses of the psalm states it so well:

1O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.

3You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

God does know all my ways; my going out and my coming in.  That is truly awful; awe-full in the sense that I am filled with awe when I realize it.  Of course, there are many days and many times in most days when I forget that awe-full reality. 

The challenge for me in following Jesus is to become a bit more the person that God created me to be when God knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Responding to Jesus’ call to follow him is only the first step.  It is to begin a journey that will have many rough places as well as some smooth places.  It will have its highs and its lows.  There will be dead ends or at least what seem like dead ends. However, Jesus will always be there as my guide and my comfort, my strength and my shield.

If I follow him goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life (to quote another psalm).

Blessings on your journey,