Good morning. Today is Wednesday, October 14th!

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

— Ephesians 2:10

There are more than eight billion people alive today.

Eight billion people with different faces, personalities, talents, interests, and experiences.

Think that’s incredible? Now consider the estimated 100 billion people who have lived throughout human history.

And that’s not even counting everyone who will be born in the future.

Out of all those people, there’s only one you.

Nobody else has lived your exact life, had every one of your experiences, or sees the world in quite the same way you do.

And what’s interesting is that the Bible actually speaks about how personally God creates and knows us.

In Psalm 139:13–14, David writes:

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (NIV)

Notice how David describes his creation.

He doesn’t simply say God created humanity.

He says God created him.

David uses the picture of someone carefully knitting something together to describe God’s involvement in his life before he was even born.

And that leads him to praise God for being wonderfully made.

But David takes this thought even further.

In Psalm 139:16, he says:

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (NIV)

David’s point is that God’s knowledge of him began long before anyone else knew him.

That’s pretty remarkable when you think about it.

We might see ourselves as just one person among billions, but Scripture describes a God whose knowledge of us is personal.

Jesus makes a similar point in Matthew 10:30 when He tells His disciples that even the hairs on their heads are numbered.

He’s reminding them that God knows and cares about them, even down to details they wouldn’t think to count themselves.

And there’s another verse that makes this even more encouraging.

Ephesians 2:10 says:

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

Paul is describing the new life believers receive through Jesus and the good works God calls them to do.

So Scripture gives us two wonderful truths.

God knows us personally, and through Christ, He gives us a purpose.

You don’t need someone else’s personality, talents, or life to matter.

You can use what you’ve been given to love God and serve the people around you.

And that brings us back to where we started.

Billions of people are alive today. Billions more have lived before us. And countless others may come after us.

But through all of human history, there has never been another you, and there never will be.

You are wonderfully made, personally known by God, and invited to live a life that honors Him.

There’s only one you. And that’s something worth thanking God for.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Lord, You are a wonderful Creator.

Confession: Forgive us for comparing ourselves to others.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for making us unique.

Supplication: Help us use our gifts to serve You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

“Wonderfully Made” by Ellie Holcomb

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Thanks for letting us be a part of how you start your day with God.

See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God