Interconnected: Relationshipsعينة

God Knows You Before you were fashioned in your mother’s womb, God knew you. He discerned every detail of your being, and He loved you more deeply than you can imagine. God, the Creator of the entire universe, foreknew you. Isn’t that amazing? God’s foreknowledge is the first part of His plan for the redemption of mankind. In the middle part of this Bible verse, we see the second part of redemption, a phrase packed with meaning: conformed to the image of His Son. Being “conformed to the image of His Son” means we become more and more like Jesus in the things we do, say, and think. This process is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, who has the job of convicting us in regards to truth and righteousness (John 16:8). You see, as we connect with the Lord through prayer, worship, and the reading of His Word, we allow the Spirit to speak into our lives, showing us areas that are in need of change. As we acknowledge these areas and allow the Holy Spirit to empower us, we start to look and sound more like Jesus. At the end of this verse, the apostle Paul explains the result of God foreknowing us and conforming us. He writes, “That He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” In Jewish culture, first-born sons had privileged status and were considered superior to the other siblings. So while anyone who believes in Him is given the right to be called a child of God (John 1:12), Jesus—God’s only begotten Son—is above all the brethren (believers). In Philippians 2:9–11 (NKJV), Paul paints a picture of God’s plan and desire as it pertains to glorifying Christ: Paul writes that God has exalted Christ and “given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” God’s redemption plan is for everyone. He desires for every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Jesus as Lord. Have you bowed your knee? Have you confessed Jesus as Lord? DIG: When you think of Jesus, what qualities and traits come to mind? Are these attributes present in you? DISCOVER: Are you being conformed into the image of Christ? In what ways? DISPLAY: Take time today to share your faith and point people to Him. Help others realize the destiny and life they were meant to have!