“Grandma, why did Jesus make me?” Five-year-old Kaitlyn asked me. I couldn’t believe what I heard. Why would a little girl so young ask me this question? Does she even know what she is asking?
We were both watching Animal Planet and saw the strangest, deep-sea creatures that live in the deepest and darkest part of the ocean. She was quite fascinated, and I was, too. There’s a colorless, faceless animal that lives rooted to a rock wall, and like a Venus-fly trap, it eats by snapping its mouth when a prey passes by. Another strange fish has a “fishing pole” protrusion on top of its head, and bacteria on the protrusion produce light making it look like a lure. There’s a gelatinous sea monster that finds food by spreading out its long, giant, net-like stinging tentacles. These creatures come from an alien world – the deep – that exists on earth.
Then we saw the transparent sea creatures with glass-like skin. These fascinating, almost invisible organisms are the tangible ghosts of the real world. The ghost shrimp with its semi-translucent shells is so clear in appearance that it only has color after it has eaten a colorful meal. The glass octopus has unusually long optic nerve stalks in its optic lobes making its sense of sight so accurate. The transparent sea cucumber is so transparent that its digestive tract is on a spectacular display while it sweeps sediment into its mouth.
To answer the little girl’s question: “Why did Jesus make me?” I answered, “Ahhhh…good question. God made you to give Him honor and glory,” I replied knowing she probably will not understand what that meant. Surely enough before I could explain, she asked me yet another question. “What does that mean?” I told her in the simplest way: “God wants you to be good and always do what is right. Being good and loving Jesus will make Him very happy. And, Jesus made you so you will sing songs about Him.” She seemed quite pleased with my answer.
While we watched the documentary of the deep-sea creatures, I wondered, “Why did God make these odd creatures of the deep, which mankind would not have ever known exist?” But God gave mankind the knowledge to build amazing technology to search the deep so we would even more be amazed of our Awesome Creator. God’s amazing creation made me say, “If You created them and gave them intelligence to hunt for food and survive, how much more do you not think about me?”
The other day I received an unexpected e-mail from someone I don’t know. This person’s e-mail troubled me, and I had to find time to respond to her. She wrote: “Oftentimes I become suicidal because I have insecurities. I was wondering if the things that I do are the right ones. I even get disillusioned by my problems: personal, marital, self-esteem and other struggles. I had depressions too. I always ask God for reasons ‘What on earth am I here for?’ because all I have are troubles and heartaches. Yet God gives me signs that I live this life for a reason.”
It was almost midnight when I read her e-mail. Even though I was sleepy, I knew I need to send the person a reply. I don’t know the details of her personal problems, but I told her about my own life’s problems, including the illness and death of my first husband and the loss of our home due to the flood. But I encouraged this person that even though we go through so much heartaches in this world, God created us for a great purpose, and He will never forsake us.
After our exchange of messages, she wrote: “I never really cared before about the things you mentioned because I was too overwhelmed by my own troubles and in short, I was just too selfish and self-centered that I closed my eyes to possibilities and the desire to work for Him. I realized I have to be the right person to do this kind of endeavor. I need to have the right character, which is Christ’s in order to fully and effectively help others. And I’m willing to go through that path.”
I was very happy to read her last message.
Indeed, God created us for a great reason – to give honor and glory to His name. May you find the joy and comfort and purpose why God created you as you, for His plans for you is for a future and a hope – and to give honor and glory to His name.
Isaiah 43:7 “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”