From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.

Acts 17:26–28

For it was you who created my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.
My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.

Psalm 139:13–16

So God created man
in his own image;
he created him in the image of God;
he created them male and female.

Genesis 1:27

I was unexpected when my mother learned she was expecting. I am the result of what people call an “unplanned” pregnancy. The relationship between my Mom and my biological father was far from serious, and I remember being told later that it was a mutual decision on their part that he would not be involved in my life.

So, a single Mom. An absent father. An unplanned baby boy. That’s how it all got started. That’s how I got started!

Sometimes unplanned pregnancies are called “accidental” pregnancies. Isn’t it strange to think of yourself in those terms–as an accident? But here’s the thing: I don’t think I’ve ever seen myself that way. Being the result of an “unplanned” pregnancy isn’t the same as being an unwanted pregnancy. And as far back as I can remember, I felt welcomed into the world, and was made to feel wanted. Whatever else was going on in my Mom’s life when I arrived, and however difficult it was for her to become a mother at that point and under those circumstances, I was loved.

Here’s the thing: somehow in the mysterious providence of God, I was planned. And God had plans for me. He had designs on my life from not only conception but from all eternity. That’s quite a thought to chew on! Imagine that! Imagine that whatever the circumstances surrounding your conception and birth that there is holy purpose in your arrival into this world.

Looking back, that’s definitely how I feel about my life. And the truth is God’s purpose for me somehow incorporates all of the circumstances surrounding my conception. Even though my journey of faith has had many ups, downs, detours, and turns, I can’t think of a moment when I didn’t believe God was not only real but somehow involved in my life. It’s as though I’ve always been seeking him, knowing that only in him could I have a sense of genuine purpose, direction, and meaning.

What about you? No doubt you have had questions about the meaning of your life. Perhaps because of your circumstances you’ve sometimes questioned your personal worth. Maybe you don’t think your life is significant. Not true: you too have holy purpose. You too were created by God to seek him. And you too were not an accident.