Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. Isaiah 49:1
Last night Michael and I were driving to Target (one of my favortie places...smile) and I asked him this, "Do you think that we were in heaven before we were born? You know how it says in the bible that He called us by name even before we were born? To me that kind of sounds like we may have been in heaven before we were here and because of that, we've had a taste of what heaven is. Being here on earth and away from such a place, we all walk around with an emptiness....a hunger...in our hearts that can only be filled by God and because we long to be with Him we keep searching through other means to try to fill the void; something that will bring, if only for a moment, a feeling of wholeness and completeness; love and acceptance."
He absolutely understood what I was getting at though he doesn't think we were in heaven before we were here. He said that because God breathed life into Adam - His spirit - there's a part of Him that is always with us. One of those things you know that you don't know or a feeling that's only a vapor yet deep to the point of an eternal ache that we all long to ease.
I think many of us (myself included) walk around with an emptiness in our hearts that we try to fill with things other than God; things like food, alcohol, sex, drugs, money....and the thing is ~ all of those are temporary and will never fully satisfy. How do we know? Because once the effect wears off we're still empty.
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me, that your soul may live. Isaiah 55:2-3
I don't know about you but this verse really speaks to me and is one that I've been meditating on a lot lately. I'd never even heard it until recently as I've been participating in a course from Setting Captives Free called The Lord's Table. It's powerful isn't it? And as I continue on and learn how to be satisfied by the bread and the wine that's my Savior ~ the richest of fare ~ I'm beginning to feel the first flutterings of life within my soul and am shaken by the knowledge that my heart no longer needs to go hungry or be empty.
Your question reveals your heart precious Annalea. I think God is tickled too at the innocence of it. You wondering when did God first know you? When did you first know Him? Did He send me to Earth with this question waiting to be asked one day? What did the Maker write upon my heart when I was fashioned in the secret place?
ReplyDeleteI love the question even if this side of Eternity we may not fully know its answer. I believe it is the part of us that will always be God's child. Like a little one asking question after question...so many whys?
I believe I did know Jesus there. As if I can still hear Jesus saying, ..."Remember Me...don't forget, I love you" Like a child knows it mother's voice in the womb. So many mysteries. I recall accepting Christ..it felt new but familiar...like we had met before but time and distance separated us. Maybe that is why we wonder at these things. We were born to love Him and it feels safe and right when we surrender to that love. Like a child trusts safely in its mother's arms. We were not born for relationship, relationship was already created for us...we walk into it and rest.
Isaiah writes, the Lord speaking, "Can I ever forget you? Can a mother forget her child? See, you are carved on the palms of my hands."
I wonder...