Bethel Fellowship International

I received the following question in an e-mail message: Is there a reason for human life?

First of all one must realize that “he is precious and valuable” in the sight of God. God does not make anything that is trivial, petty, insignificant, of little importance, of no value, good-for-nothing or useless. Many people in the cultures of the world think themselves to be just that. Isaiah 43:4

God is ALIVE! He is the same and never changes. He is more stable than the universe!

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 KJV.

“Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is always the same, yesterday, today, yes, and forever — to the ages.” Hebrews 13:8 AMP

God said, “Let us . . . (Father: LORD, Son: Jesus, Holy Spirit: Christ) . . . make man in our image . . . ” Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7. The word in Japanese for “create” shows God blowing air into a piece of clay resulting in a man standing up and moving forward. 造 .

Between conception and birth one goes through a period of time of being carried in the womb of its mother. This time period is called “gestation.” This time varies for each individual, but can be simply defined as between nine and ten months. During this time, the Spirit of God is at work in the pitch-blackness of the watery womb, much like He was at work in creation in the beginning:

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep (subterranean waters, i.e. secret, waters beneath the earth). And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2. Or another viewpoint of the waters could very well be likened to seminal and amniotic fluid, showing the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit in the pitch-black darkness of the womb.

Psalm 139:13-18 reveals the account of God’s creation of every human being in its mother’s womb. The womb is defined in the original Hebrew language as “a hiding place, shelter, a hidden, secret place.” The Psalmist declares, “Thou hast covered (screened, protected) me in my mother’s womb.” During the months of gestation the Holy Spirit works non-stop, moving and brooding over the child in creating a one-of-a-kind original. All the while God makes notes in a diary with that child’s name inscribed upon it.

The amniotic fluid is described by the expectant mother’s cry, “My water just broke.” Yes, the great protective covering breaks just before birth. This breaking of the water is prelude to perhaps one of the most powerful Words God ever spoke — LET THERE BE LIGHT! The child is born out of a cramped place of pitch-blackness into a marvelous kingdom of light. The umbilical cord is cut and the child takes its first God-given breath and cries out. The cries can indicate discomfort, aches, and even hunger. But I can also imagine some sort of cry of relief from being set free into the hugeness of a life begun outside the womb. So happy to be set free that one cries! A cry of joy. “The joy of the LORD” could be the beginning of that little one’s strength.

Take a minute to read Psalm 139:13-18 and think on these things. You are indeed very, very special. Pause, and think about that!

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 knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth (the womb). Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Why, then, was I created in my mother’s womb? And what, then, is the purpose of the life I have been given?

God says, “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him . . . This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.” Isaiah 43:7, 21. We were created by God in our mother’s womb to bring forth glory, honor and praise to God.

The Psalmist said,

“I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works.” Psalm 9:1

“That I may shew forth all thy praise . . . I will rejoice in thy salvation.” Psalm 9:14

“O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.” Psalm 51:15

“So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.” Psalm 79:13

“Who can utter thy mighty acts of the LORD? [who] can shew forth all His praise?” Psalm 106:2

As we mentioned before, the breath God gave us as we broke forth from our mother’s womb shows us that God gave us His very own heart! That breath coupled with its flowing across our vocal cords gives us our very own VOICE. None other like it. It is original, and for one purpose — to declare the works of God!

“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” Psalm 118:17

In perhaps one of the most well-known verses of the entire book of Psalms, we can see and fully understand the purpose of our LIVING. The Psalm instructs us just how our lives can be fulfilled. It is a song, mind you, very demonstrative. In it the word PRAISE appears thirteen times; GOD/him/his appears fourteen times; HALLELUJAH/Praise ye the LORD appears two times. It’s Psalm 150. Now read it here:

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. 

2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. 

3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 

4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 

5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 

6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

But, the key word to the entire song is very important. It’s in the last verse. It’s BREATH!

In Japanese the word for “breath” shows that God gave his own heart when he breathed into Adam the breath of life. At birth a VOICE is personally given by God. During the time a child is in its mother’s womb it moves and has it’s being because of the mother’s oxygen flowing through the umbilical cord. The child is NOT breathing on its own until the first breath is given by God upon bursting through the narrow birth canal. The breath is given by GOD; the breath is the child’s spirit.

Why, then, is breath given? It is given by God to look to Him and praise Him for LIFE! Our lives are a personal gift from God Himself. No two are alike. Each one is an original creation, a special edition, one of a kind, valuable and precious in God’s sight.

The reason for living? Because . . .

“The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.” Psalm 115:17-18

See explanations of Japanese characters for “breath” and “life” below.

 

「息」is pronounced “iki” and means “breath.” The upper half 「自」shows “God’s very own,” while the lower half shows 「心」”heart.” Genesis 2:7 says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

 

 

 

 

「生」is also pronounced “iki.” It means “life.” ノ indicates action, movement. 三 shows from the top heaven, earth and sea.   | shows a standing person. We live to stand, act and move for God. Simply put, we’ve been created to show forth the honor, glory and renown of God seen in His creations of heaven, earth and the seas. The calligraphic expression here is quoted from Ezekiel 16:6 where the LORD passed by the young woman polluted in her own blood and said, “LIVE.”

—nils olson