Awesome foreknowledge

Romans 8:29-30 NKJV

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. [30] Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Try to get your head around God's awesome foreknowledge and you'll tie yourself up in knots.

Imagine God the Father, standing on the cliff of Eternity, looking down the "telescope of time" and seeing your life from the end to the beginning, using all the eddying currents of jumbled circumstances in order to bring you to Jesus and mould you into the His image - that's His foreknowledge!

It's not everyone, however - see Jesus' prayer in John 17:

John 17:9-10 NKJV

"I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. [10] And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

This is mysterious - Jesus talks of the ones that the Father had given Him....

God knows ahead of and outside of time those who will believe and those are the ones He destines to become part of His family.

Jesus prays down the ages for all of us who will believe and receive:

John 17:20-24 NKJV

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; [21] that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. [22] And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: [23] I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. [24] "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

This is over and above my pay-grade - I cannot figure it out.

To my earthly understanding it doesn't compute!

So, with the Psalmist, I gasp:

Psalm 139:6 NKJV

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

Today, Father God, I'm just grateful to be in Your family. As hard as it seems, You are chipping away at me throughout my life, to produce the image of Jesus by Your Spirit. Forgive me for making Your task so difficult as I squirm and struggle while You're at work.